LEADER OF THE HOUSE

Departments: Correspondence

Bob Spink: To ask the Leader of the House what guidance her Office follows on the maximum time taken to respond to hon. Members' correspondence; and what performance against that target was in the most recent period for which figures are available.

Helen Goodman: The Leader of the House of Commons' Office aims to respond to hon. Members' correspondence within 15 working days. During August 2007 this was achieved for 91 per cent. of MPs' and Peers' correspondence received. For the year 2006, the target was achieved for 95 per cent. of MPs' correspondence and 97 peers of Peers' correspondence.

Departments: Internet

Norman Baker: To ask the Leader of the House how many websites her Department operates; how many it operated at 1 January 2005; and what the estimated annual cost has been of running her Department's websites in the last five years.

Helen Goodman: The Leader of the House of Commons Office operate one website and has done so since June 2003. From April 2006 until March 2007 the annual cost of running the website was £7,050. From April 2007 until October 2007 the cost has been £4,112,50. Following a Machinery of Government change, information prior to 2006-07 financial year is available only at disproportionate cost.

Departments: Internet

Norman Baker: To ask the Leader of the House how many hits the  (a) most popular and  (b) least popular website run by her Department has received since 1 January 2007.

Helen Goodman: The Leader of the House of Commons Office website has received a total of 6,894,877 hits since 1 January 2007.

Departments: Road Traffic Offences

Norman Baker: To ask the Leader of the House how many fixed penalty tickets were incurred by vehicles within the purview of her Department in the last year for which figures are available; and what the total cost was.

Helen Goodman: Following a machinery of government change, detailed information on expenditure incurred in the 2006-07 financial year is available only at disproportionate cost.

Departments: Secondment

Norman Baker: To ask the Leader of the House how many staff are seconded to her Department from outside Government; from which outside body each has been seconded; and what the length is of each secondment.

Helen Goodman: There are currently 20 members of staff who are seconded to the Cabinet Office from outside of Government. This figure includes five members of staff from the Houses of Parliament. The Houses of Parliament do not form part of the civil service. The following table lists (a) the outside body from which each has been seconded from and (b) length of each secondment:
	
		
			  Outside body  Number of staff  Length of s econdment  (Years) 
			 Houses of Parliament 1 2 
			  4 <1 
			 Arts Council England 1 <1 
			 Essex Police 1 1 
			 Hays 1 3 
			 London Fire Brigade 1 <1 
			 Macclesfield Council 1 1 
			 Metropolitan Police 2 3 
			 Middlesex University 1 <1 
			 National Centre for Social Research 1 1 
			 The Fourth Sector 1 <1 
			 Price Waterhouse Coopers 1 <1 
			 Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) 1 <1 
			 Surrey County Council 1 <1 
			 Bank of England 1 2 
			 The Work Foundation 1 <1 
			 (1) From start date to current date

Departments: Written Questions

Mark Harper: To ask the Leader of the House how many and what percentage of questions tabled for answer on a named day received a substantive answer on the day due in the last year for which figures are available, broken down by answering Department.

Helen Goodman: Individual Departments are responsible for keeping their own records on the timeliness of answers and providing this information to the House when requested by the Public Administration Committee or through Members' questions. To provide this information centrally could be done only at disproportionate cost.
	The last available figures of the Leader of the House of Commons Office relate to the 2005-06 session. These show that 100 per cent. of the 71 named day questions tabled were answered on the date specified.

Members: Pensions

David Drew: To ask the Leader of the House how many  (a) debates and  (b) votes there have been on the subject of hon. Members' pensions since 1997.

Helen Goodman: The following debates and votes relating to Members' pensions have been identified by the Journal Office as having taken place on the Floor of the House since 1997:
	5 July 2001 (implementation of the elements of the 2001 SSRB report relating to MPs' pensions):
	Motion on Parliamentary Pensions (divisions on amendments moved by hon. Members for Bournemouth, West (Sir John Butterfill) and for Oxford, West and Abingdon (Dr. Harris)).
	3 November 2004 (implementation of the elements of the 2004 SSRB report relating to MPs' pensions):
	(1) Motion on Parliamentary Pensions (Contribution Rate);
	(2) Motion on Parliamentary Pensions (Survivor Benefits and Early Retirement).
	In addition, there was a debate in a delegated legislation Committee on 23 July 2002 on the Parliamentary Pensions (Amendment) Regulations 2002 (S.I., 2002, No 1807) (followed by a division).

Parliamentary Scrutiny: EU Law

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Leader of the House if she will bring forward proposals to improve scrutiny of European Union legislation.

Helen Goodman: I refer the hon. Lady to my answer during oral questions on 8 October 2007,  Official Report, column 19.

TRANSPORT

A12: Essex

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations she has received on upgrading the A12 in Essex to motorway standard; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: The Secretary of State is not aware of any recent representations for upgrading the A12 to motorway standard. Following the recommendations of the M25 to Ipswich multi-modal study in 2002, the Secretary of State asked the Highways Agency to carry out further appraisal for upgrading the A12 between the M25 and Colchester.
	In July 2006 the Secretary of State accepted the advice of the East of England's Regional Assembly on regional transport investment priorities, not to prioritise the A12 for funding in the period up to 2015-16. It will be for the Region to reconsider in the review of the Regional Funding Allocations due in 2008.

A12: Essex

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if she will estimate the cost of upgrading the A12 in Essex to motorway standard.

Rosie Winterton: The A12 all purpose trunk road in Essex is a mixture of dual two and three lane carriageways of varying standard. There are no proposals to upgrade the A12 to motorway standard and consequently no assessment work has been undertaken. Hence no costs for upgrading the A12 to motorway standard are available.

Blue Badge Scheme

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what Government research has been undertaken into the independent mobility needs of  (a) people with mental health problems,  (b) partially sighted people,  (c) people with severe learning and/or behavioural difficulties and  (d) people with severe autism to determine their eligibility for a Blue Badge;
	(2)  whether her Department has issued, on behalf of all four UK Administrations, guidance specifying the criteria for further assessment of applicants for Blue Badge parking permits;
	(3)  whether children under two years old whose medical needs require the transport of bulky equipment at all times have been made eligible under the Blue Badge disabled parking scheme;
	(4)  what progress her Department has made towards ensuring nationally consistent eligibility criteria for those subject to further assessment under the Blue Badge disabled parking scheme;
	(5)  whether assessments of independent mobility for the Blue Badge parking scheme are routinely undertaken by a health professional other than the applicant's GP;
	(6)  whether, where entitlement to a Blue Badge is linked to receipt of the higher rate mobility component of disability living allowance, the period of issue is linked to that of receipt of the allowance;
	(7)  what progress has been made towards establishing a national, centrally funded, database of Blue Badge holders;
	(8)  whether Blue Badge applicants automatically entitled by their receipt of the higher rate mobility component of the disability living allowance are required to give explicit consent to the sharing of personal data under the Data Protection Act 1998.

Rosie Winterton: Research into the mobility needs of certain disability groups who may not be eligible for the Blue Badge under the current eligibility criteria, was completed earlier this year. This included people with severe autism, mental health difficulties, learning and/or behavioural difficulties and people who are partially sighted. The findings were considered as part of the strategic review of the scheme, which reported to me in September and will contribute to the publication of a comprehensive Blue Badge reform strategy by April 2008.
	All English authorities will be issued with revised guidance later this year. As responsibility for the scheme is devolved in the UK, the Administrations for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are producing their own guidance separately.
	Following changes I announced recently, children under the age of two, who are dependent upon bulky medical equipment, have been eligible for a badge under the scheme from 15 October 2007.
	The Department for Transport recognises the need to promote greater consistency of assessment. This is a key theme which is being addressed through our strategic review and forthcoming Blue Badge reform strategy. The revised local authority guidance, due for publication later this year, will also help to clarify the assessed eligibility process.
	The medical assessment practice varies between different local authorities. We are committed to actively promoting good practice guidance in this area and are engaging with the Department of Health on this issue.
	From 15 October 2007, certain badges are now linked to the receipt and issue period of both the higher rate mobility component of the disability living allowance and war pensioners' mobility supplement.
	Research into the feasibility of a national database was completed earlier this year. The findings were considered as part of the strategic review of the scheme, which will contribute to the publication of a comprehensive Blue Badge reform strategy by April 2008.
	All local authorities have a duty to comply with the Data Protection Act 1988. The revised local authority guidance, due for publication later this year, will provide additional advice on this area and a model data protection statement for Blue Badge applicants to complete.

Car Hire: Regulation

Susan Kramer: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what legislation covers the regulation of car hire companies; and when the last review of these provisions was undertaken.

Rosie Winterton: The Department for Transport is not aware of any legislation relating specifically to the regulation of car hire companies.
	However, the Disability Discrimination (Transport Vehicles) Regulations 2005 [SI 2005/3190], which came into force on 4 December 2006, do cover "hire vehicles" (the definition of which is relevant to vehicles hired out by car hire companies).
	The 2005 regulations effectively disapplied certain exemptions contained in the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 in respect of particular types of vehicle, including "hire vehicles". As a result, car hire companies (like other vehicle-hire firms covered by the 2005 regulations) can no longer discriminate against disabled persons when providing vehicles.

Departments: Fixed Penalties

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many fixed penalty tickets were incurred by vehicles within the purview of her Department in the last year for which figures are available; and what the total cost was.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Department for Transport and its agencies maintain the policy that road traffic violations such as parking tickets and speeding fines remain the responsibility of the individual, and are not reimbursed from public resources. Three of the Department's agencies record penalties incurred by their drivers on official business, and these amounted to a total of 17 in financial year 2006-07. No financial cost was incurred by the Department.
	The exception to this is the Government Car and Despatch Agency which pays parking fines incurred operationally in circumstances where the overriding security requirements of high profile passengers or secure or sensitive documents necessarily dictate the choice of parking location. 73 such fines were paid in financial year 2006-07, at a total cost of £5,898.02.

Metronet: Insolvency

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what her most recent estimate is of the debts left to the public sector following Metronet's failure to fulfil its contract with London Underground; and how she expects those debts to be met.

Rosie Winterton: It is for Metronet's Administrators, working with Transport for London and London Underground, to identify the best route out of Administration. In advance of their conclusions, it continues to be inappropriate to speculate on any public sector financial impacts and, therefore, how such impacts would be handled.

Railways: Performance Standards

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment she has made of the performance of First Capital Connect services between Peterborough and London over the last five years.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Since the commencement of the First Capital Connect (FCC) franchise on 1 April 2006, the Public Performance Measure (PPM) Moving Annual Average for the Great Northern route, which includes services between Peterborough and London, has increased from 89.56 per cent. to 92.35 per cent. in the most recent complete operating period. FCC recently achieved a period PPM of 96.09 per cent. on the GN route, which is the highest achieved since franchising in the 1990s.

Railways: Wales

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many rail passengers travelled on railway lines in Wales in each year since 1992; and if she will make a statement.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Welsh Assembly Government are responsible for the services provided within Wales and across the border by Arriva Trains Wales. Details of the number of passengers who have travelled on railway lines in Wales each year since 1992 are not held by the Department for Transport.
	Statistics on numbers of passengers on the railway network are published by the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) in the National Rail Trends Yearbook editions, which are available in the House Library or from their website: www.rail-reg.gov.uk.

Railways: Wales

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many railway carriages were used on railway lines in Wales in each year since 1992; how many seats were provided in those carriages in each of those years; and if she will make a statement.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Welsh Assembly Government are responsible for the services provided within Wales and across the border by Arriva Trains Wales. Details of the number of carriages that were used on railway lines in Wales in each year since 1992 and the number of seats provided in those carriages are not held by the Department.

Road Traffic

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  which local authorities have submitted bids for funding from the congestion element of the Transport Innovation Fund in each year since its creation; and which were  (a) accepted and  (b) rejected;
	(2)  which local authorities have applied for funding from the Transport Innovation Fund; which have been  (a) accepted and  (b) rejected; and what form of congestion charging, road pricing or workplace parking taxes the successful ones are proposing.

Rosie Winterton: Money from the Transport Innovation Fund (TIF) will become available from 2008-09. Ten areas have been awarded pump-priming funding to support the development of Transport Innovation Fund packages that address local congestion problems combining demand management, including road pricing, with better public transport. So far one substantive TIF bid for funding has been received. The Association of Greater Manchester Authorities (AGMA) have submitted a business case for Transport Innovation Fund funding for a package to tackle congestion by combining transport investment and road pricing. Details are available on http://www.gmfuturetransport.co.uk/. We are currently assessing the case.

Roads: Accidents

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many road traffic  (a) accidents and  (b) fatalities there were on the A14 in Suffolk in each year since 1997; and how many involved drivers under the age of 21 years in each case.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The information requested is given in the following tables.
	
		
			  Number of reported personal injury road accidents and fatalities on the A14 in Suffolk; 1997-2006 
			   Accidents (a)  Fatalities (b) 
			 1997 128 7 
			 1998 123 2 
			 1999 122 8 
			 2000 138 8 
			 2001 138 10 
			 2002 157 5 
			 2003 128 3 
			 2004 143 5 
			 2005 150 4 
			 2006 119 6 
		
	
	
		
			  Number of reported personal injury road accidents involving drivers under the age of 21 and resulting fatalities on the A14 in Suffolk:1997-2006 
			   Accidents (a)  Fatalities (b) 
			 1997 21 1 
			 1998 26 1 
			 1999 21 1 
			 2000 22 0 
			 2001 26 1 
			 2002 27 1 
			 2003 29 0 
			 2004 28 0 
			 2005 28 0 
			 2006 28 0

Taxis

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what provisions control whether hackney carriages outside London may collect customers after being hailed off the street, outside a taxi rank.

Rosie Winterton: The law allows the drivers of licensed hackney carriages to accept immediate hirings from passengers either when the cabs are standing at a rank or in response to a hailing in the street. The drivers are, however, only permitted to accept such hirings while located in the area for which they are licensed. If a driver drops off a passenger outside his own licensing area he cannot respond to a street hailing (or stand at a rank) until he returns to his own licensing area.

Vehicles: Insurance

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what her most recent estimate is of the number of uninsured vehicles in the Greater London area.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Our latest estimate for the United Kingdom is that in 2005 there were about 2.1 million licensed vehicles being driven uninsured (about 6.5 per cent. of the UK vehicle fleet). Information is not held by area.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Aggregates Levy

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which beneficiaries of the Aggregates Levy Sustainability Fund received more than £50,000 in any one year in each year since the inception of the levy.

Jonathan R Shaw: DEFRA's Aggregates Levy Sustainability Fund database contains details of overall amounts paid out to projects from April 2004 onwards, but we do not have annual payments recorded centrally. I have arranged for a list of beneficiaries that have received over £50,000 from the Aggregates Levy Sustainability Fund, since April 2004, to be placed in the Library of the House.

Agriculture: Floods

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what consideration he has given to applying for EU emergency funds under Articles 87 and 88 of the EC Treaty to compensate farmers for flood damage to crops and livestock.

Phil Woolas: Articles 87 and 88 of the European Community Treaty do not provide access to European Union (EU) emergency funds. The categories (which also include the guidelines and regulations that have since been formulated on this issue) relate to aid, funded by individual member states rather than the EU, that we are allowed to pay in certain circumstances (state aid).
	The UK has submitted an application to the EU Solidarity Fund in the wake of this summer's flooding. However, the purpose of the fund is to assist member state Governments with costs that arise from the relief efforts and those of returning infrastructure to the condition it was in before the disaster occurred. It is unlikely that compensation to private business, including farmers, for losses arising from the floods would be eligible. As part of the application process, the Government will agree with the Commission how any support received from the Solidarity Fund will be used.

Battery Hens: EU Law

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what discussions he has had with the European Commission on the release of the report on the progress of the transition towards the ban on battery cages for egg production due to come into effect in 2012;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the likely impact of the Laying Hens Directive will have on the number of eggs imported into the UK from outside the EU; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  what assessment he has made of the state of readiness of the British egg industry to implement the Laying Hens Directive, with particular reference to the banning of battery cages for egg production from 2012.

Jonathan R Shaw: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State (Hilary Benn) recently met with Commissioner Kyprianou and stressed the urgency of publishing the Commission's report. The report will consider the various systems for keeping laying hens, their health and environmental impact, socio-economic implications and effects on the Community's economic partners.
	A regulatory impact assessment was produced in 2002 when Council Directive 99/74/EC was transposed into domestic legislation. This will be updated in the light of the Commission's report and will consider such aspects as the impact of the 2012 conventional cage ban on the industry and trading patterns. Currently, over half of UK egg production is from caged birds although, during the last few years, there has been a shift in production methods in the UK from conventional cages to enriched cages and alternative systems.

Bovine Tuberculosis: Disease Control

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how the report Badgers and Cattle TB: Final Report of the Independent Scientific Group was peer reviewed; who peer reviewed it; what feedback was received from the peer review; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan R Shaw: The Independent Scientific Group's (ISG) Final Report as whole has not been peer-reviewed. However, most of the work has been published in leading, independently peer-reviewed scientific journals. Appendix J of the Report (available on the DEFRA website and in the Libraries of the House) summarises their published scientific papers and other important published material.
	Formal independent audits of core aspects of the trial were undertaken at appropriate intervals. These included the field procedures of surveying, social group delineation and badger removal, welfare aspects of the way trapped badgers were dispatched, post-mortem protocols and bacteriological culture procedures, as well as procedures for data collection, handling and statistical analysis. Appendix E of the Report lists the programme of audits undertaken throughout the trial.
	The ISG webpage, which lists their publications, can be found at:
	http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/tb/isg/isgpublications.htm
	and reports of the independent audits that have been carried out can be found at:
	http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/tb/culling/p5aud.htm.

Carbon Emissions: Personal Income

Elliot Morley: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether he has commissioned research on the carbon footprint of those on low incomes compared to those on high incomes.

Phil Woolas: As part of its pre-feasibility study into personal carbon trading, the Government will be looking at, among other things, carbon footprints of different groups to assess the equity impact of personal carbon trading.
	This will follow initial work conducted by the Centre for Sustainable Energy (CSE) in November 2006, entitled "A Rough Guide to Individual Carbon Trading". One of the findings of this report was that, in general, those on lower incomes tend to emit less carbon dioxide than average, while those on higher incomes tend to emit more carbon dioxide than average. A personal carbon trading system might have the potential to achieve emissions savings in a fairer way than a carbon tax.
	A recent piece of work by the CSE, commissioned by DEFRA to help inform development of the post-2011 supplier obligation, further illustrates the correlation between income level and carbon emissions. This study also draws out important variations within income bands, showing that some low-income households have very high consumption levels and some high-income households have very low consumption levels.

Carbon Emissions: Standards

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will make it his policy that  (a) any carbon budget he sets out for 2008 to 2012 will require a lower level of emissions in that period than in the preceding five years and  (b) that every future budget period will be set at a level lower than its predecessor.

Phil Woolas: As set out in the draft Climate Change Bill, the independent Committee on Climate Change will advise the Government on the emissions reduction pathway to achieve the 2020 and 2050 targets. The Committee will advise specifically on the level of carbon budgets, taking into account where carbon savings can be achieved across the economy and the optimum balance between domestic action and international trading in carbon allowances.
	Its first task will be to advise the Government on the first three five-year carbon budgets by 1 September 2008.

Carbon Sequestration: Peat

Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment his Department has made of the merits of natural peatlands as net absorbers of carbon dioxide; and what measures are in place to protect peatlands to combat greenhouse gas emissions.

Phil Woolas: Peatlands are a significant store of carbon in the UK and require protection. A substantial proportion of these are found in Scotland. However, in terms of absorbing carbon dioxide, the potential is limited, due to their slow growth.
	DEFRA is currently seeking to develop its understanding of the risks to this carbon store and to investigate the best means of protecting peatlands and the biodiversity they support. The Department is in the process of setting up a cross-governmental project that is intended to form part of DEFRA's new soil strategy for England. This will ensure that DEFRA and its agencies co-ordinate their activity on peat soils and liaise effectively with the devolved Administrations as well as identifying best practice for protecting peatlands and putting in place the appropriate measures.
	However, to a large extent, land managers are already protecting peatlands for their biodiversity value under agri-environment schemes and Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Around 230,000 hectares of peatlands are currently managed under agri-environment agreements in England.

Cattle: Disease Control

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will make a statement on progress towards a cattle vaccine for  (a) foot and mouth disease,  (b) blue tongue and (c) bovine TB.

Jonathan R Shaw: A large number of foot and mouth vaccines for a range of different strains are already held in the UK vaccine bank at the Merial production facility in Pirbright This is the only facility licensed to produce foot and mouth disease vaccines in the UK. As soon as we identified the precise strain of the circulating virus we ordered 300,000 doses to be made ready for use. This vaccine is licensed for use in cattle and other species and the production was cleared by the Health and Safety Executive and the Veterinary Medicines Directorate.
	However, DEFRA has decided not to vaccinate at this time as the epidemiological evidence concludes that the risk of the infection spreading out of Surrey is very low. Therefore, the slaughter of animals on infected premises and dangerous contacts remains the most effective way of eradicating the disease.
	There is currently no suitable vaccine for the bluetongue serotype 8 available; as this serotype only emerged in Europe last year. However, we are aware of several companies who are developing such a vaccine for use in cattle and sheep and we are in urgent discussions with them to do what we can to encourage this work. We are also developing a plan with the industry as to how a vaccination campaign would work once a vaccine becomes available, is licensed, safe and effective for use; we hope this will be next year.
	While progress is being made on the development of a TB vaccine for cattle, vaccination as a practical TB control measure is still some way off. DEFRA-funded research has successfully identified lead candidate vaccines and we are now starting to look at delivery protocols. Research is also continuing on tests to differentiate infected from vaccinated animals (DIVA tests). It is important to note that development of a successful TB vaccine cannot be guaranteed, and that if a vaccine can be developed it will only form one part of a balanced package of measures to control the disease.

Departments: Foot and Mouth Disease

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions he has had with Ministry of Defence Ministers or officials on restrictions on civilian leisure activities on Ministry of Defence land as a result of foot and mouth disease.

Jonathan R Shaw: DEFRA is in regular contact with the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and, during the recent foot and mouth outbreaks, we have had a range of discussions. During the initial outbreaks, DEFRA was in daily contact with the MoD to clarify public access arrangements and countryside activities in high risk areas.
	During the initial outbreaks in August, at the request of DEFRA, officials from Defence Estates, the relevant MoD organisation, assisted Surrey county council in closing MoD public land within the protection zone.
	In line with DEFRA guidelines, MoD has not imposed any public access or leisure restrictions on their land in low risk areas during the recent outbreaks.

Departments: General Elections

Daniel Rogerson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what contingency preparations his Department made for the possibility of a general election in autumn 2007; and what the costs were of those preparations.

Jonathan R Shaw: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him by my right hon. Friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office on 15 October 2007,  Official  Report column 823W.

Domestic Wastes: Microprocessors

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what guidance  (a) his Department and  (b) the Waste and Resources Action Programme has produced or commissioned on the use of radio frequency identification chips in rubbish bins.

Joan Ruddock: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Meriden (Mrs. Spelman) on 21 June 2007,  Official Report, column 2097W.

Domestic Wastes: Waste Disposal

Jacqui Lait: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the level of public satisfaction with local authority waste collection services in areas with  (a) alternate weekly collections and  (b) weekly collections.

Joan Ruddock: DEFRA does not carry out its own monitoring of satisfaction with waste services. It is the responsibility of local authorities to do this at. At present, they are required under the local government performance framework to carry out a survey every three years as part of the best value performance indicators. Further information about these indicators is available from the local government performance website at:
	www.bvpi.gov.uk

Domestic Wastes: Waste Disposal

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what guidance  (a) his Department and  (b) the Waste and Resources Action Programme has given to local authorities on the size of wheelie bins for household rubbish collection;
	(2)  what advice  (a) his Department and  (b) the Waste and Resources Action Programme has given to local authorities on the sizes of wheelie bins for household rubbish collection.

Joan Ruddock: The Department has not given any guidance on this issue.
	The Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) issued guidance on alternate weekly collection ("Alternate Weekly Collections: Guidance for Local Authorities") which has a short section on the size of wheelie bins. WRAP has issued no other guidance on this issue.

Domestic Wastes: Waste Disposal

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 25 June 2007,  Official Report, columns 156-7W on domestic wastes: waste disposal, to my hon. Friend the Member for Surrey Heath (Michael Gove), what estimate has been made of the proportion of household rubbish collected for recycling that is not recycled in local authorities which do not have material recycling facilities.

Joan Ruddock: No specific assessment has been made by my Department on the proportion of household rubbish collected for recycling not recycled in local authorities which do not have material recycling facilities.
	The challenging recycling and composting targets set for all local authorities in England mean that it is in the authority's interest to recycle or compost as much of the viable material collected. Local authorities without local facilities may either use facilities in other areas, or send recyclables for reprocessing outside the UK.
	When reporting data to WasteDataFlow, local authorities should specify the amount of waste collected for recycling that is subsequently rejected at the point of collection, at a Materials Recycling Facility (MRF), or at the gate of the reprocessor. The data reported to WasteDataFlow are used by the Environment Agency and DEFRA to monitor the Landfill Allowance Trading Scheme.

Domestic Wastes: Waste Disposal

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what research, advice or guidance the consultancy Eunomia has produced at public expense on levying charges on households for providing containers which will hold domestic rubbish.

Joan Ruddock: Eunomia Research and Consulting Ltd. have conducted research for DEFRA through the project "Modelling the Impact of Household Charging for Waste in England". This report contains a literature review and modelling work, which includes sack-based schemes and bin volume schemes. Both of these involve charging households for containers which will hold domestic rubbish.
	They have not provided any policy advice or guidance.

Domestic Wastes: Waste Disposal

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what advice or guidance  (a) the Waste and Resources Action Programme and  (b) his Department has provided to councils on levying charges on households for providing containers which will hold domestic rubbish.

Joan Ruddock: No advice or guidance have been provided by the Waste and Resources Action Programme or DEFRA on these issues.

Domestic Wastes: Waste Disposal

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether, under his Department's proposals to allow local authorities to charge for the collection of household waste, waste collection authorities will remain under an obligation to collect rubbish from households which did not pay the charges.

Joan Ruddock: DEFRA is considering responses to a recent consultation on the issue of whether local authorities should be given a new legal power to introduce non income-raising ('revenue neutral') incentive schemes for minimising waste. This would be a power not a duty, and the aim of any such scheme would be to incentivise behavioural change. This would not be a charging scheme for the collection of waste, as any payments required would be aimed at influencing behaviour change and not on the cost of the collection service.
	The duty of waste collection authorities, under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, to collect household waste (subject to certain exemptions) would not be altered by the Department's proposals.

Floods: Insurance

Michael Spicer: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the insurance industry on the provision of  (a) adequate flood defences by the Government and  (b) insurance cover in areas vulnerable to flooding; and if he will make a statement.

Phil Woolas: Ministerial colleagues, officials and I are in regular contact with the insurance industry and the Association of British Insurers. We are working together with the mutual aim of ensuring continued widespread availability of flood insurance cover through the Association's Statement of Principles. This sets out commitments by insurers on the availability of flood insurance, associated with commitments by the Government on effective management of flood risk.

Floods: Risk Assessment

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the Environment Agency's definition is of the probability of  (a) low,  (b) medium and  (c) high flood risk in terms of the frequency in years at which an area is likely to flood.

Phil Woolas: The Environment Agency uses three categories for defining the probability of a flood. They are low, moderate and significant.
	Low—the chance of flooding each year is 0.5 per cent. (1 in 200) or less.
	Moderate—the chance of flooding in any year is 1.3 per cent. (1 in 75) or less but greater than 0.5 per cent. (1 in 200).
	Significant—the chance of flooding in any year is greater than 1.3 per cent. (1 in 75).

Food: Waste Disposal

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what advice  (a) his Department and  (b) the Waste and Resources Action Programme has given to local authorities on food waste collection, including which types of food can and cannot be placed in food waste buckets.

Joan Ruddock: The Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) offers advice to local authorities on arrangements for food waste collection. This advice has been developed on the basis of published literature, a number of projects commissioned by WRAP and current local authority experience of providing food waste collection services. The general advice is that if local authorities are considering collecting food waste they should consider collecting it separately and on a weekly basis. Where food waste is collected separately, WRAP advises that local authorities provide appropriate containers to householders (typically a kitchen caddy and a rigid external container) to make the separation of food waste easier for residents and to encourage them to take part in the service.
	The types of food waste suitable for collection will depend on the treatment facilities available to a local authority. All food waste collected separately must be treated at enclosed facilities (for example, in-vessel composting or anaerobic digestion plants) that meet the requirements of the Animal By-Products Regulations and are approved by the State Veterinary Service. Typically this will include cooked and uncooked food, dairy products, meat, fish and fruit/vegetables.

Foot and Mouth Disease

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what time period elapsed between the recent outbreak of foot and mouth disease and cessation of work on dangerous viruses at the Pirbright laboratories.

Jonathan R Shaw: Foot and mouth disease was first confirmed on a premises in Surrey on 3 August. As soon as the circulating virus strain was identified as the same strain as the one held at the Pirbright site on 4 August, DEFRA and Merial agreed that, because of the large quantities involved, the use of live virus would be voluntarily suspended by Merial. The case for a similar suspension at the Institute for Animal Health (IAH) was also considered on 4 August and has been kept under active review since then. Drawing on advice from the Health and Safety Executive, some modification has been made to the agreed areas where IAH can work with live virus. However, our judgment to date has been that, because of the small volumes of live virus handled by IAH and the additional measures the Institute has put in place, complete suspension is not justified.

Foot and Mouth Disease

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many animals have been culled  (a) on infected premises,  (b) on the basis of slaughter on suspicion and  (c) as a result of dangerous contact following the recent outbreak of foot and mouth disease.

Jonathan R Shaw: holding answer 16 October 2007
	 A total of 2,160 animals have been compulsorily culled as a result of the recent outbreak of foot and mouth disease. A breakdown of the statistics is shown as follows:
	
		
			  Current premises status  Number of premises  Number culled and disposed( 1) 
			 Infected premises(2) 8 1,578 
			 Dangerous contacts 7 195 
			 Slaughter on suspicion(3) 2 387 
			 Totals 17 2,160 
			 (1) Figures as of 12 October 2007 and may be subject to change. (2) Includes slaughter on suspicion and dangerous contact premises subsequently confirmed as infected premises. (3) Excludes those cases which were subsequently confirmed as infected premises.

Foot and Mouth Disease: Disease Control

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on how many infected premises livestock has been slaughtered in relation to the recent outbreaks of foot and mouth disease; and how many individual holdings make up the number of infected premises.

Jonathan R Shaw: holding answer 15 October 2007
	Livestock has been culled on eight infected premises during the current outbreak of foot and mouth disease. These eight infected premises comprised a total of 24 individual locations where susceptible livestock was culled.

Foot and Mouth Disease: Disease Control

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on which premises livestock was culled during the recent outbreaks of foot and mouth disease on the basis of  (a) being on infected premises,  (b) the policy of slaughter on suspicion,  (c) dangerous contact and  (d) being on contiguous premises.

Jonathan R Shaw: holding answer 15 October 2007
	DEFRA policy is not to name individual affected premises. In addition to the eight infected premises there have been two premises on which animals were culled as part of the policy of slaughter on suspicion, and a further seven premises where animals were culled as dangerous contacts. There are no premises where animals have been culled solely on the basis that they were contiguous to an infected premises.

Foot and Mouth Disease: Disease Control

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many  (a) infected premises,  (b) slaughter on suspicion premises,  (c) dangerous contacts and  (d) contiguous premises were tested during the recent outbreaks of foot and mouth disease for signs of the disease; and how many in each category returned positive tests.

Jonathan R Shaw: holding answer 15 October 2007
	Animals have been tested at all premises where culling has taken place for disease control reasons. At least one animal tested positive for foot and mouth disease at all eight of the infected premises. No animals at the two remaining slaughter on suspicion and seven dangerous contact premises tested positive for foot and mouth disease.

Foot and Mouth Disease: Exports

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many animals have been slaughtered as a consequence of the ban on exports because of foot and mouth disease.

Jonathan R Shaw: holding answer 15 October 2007
	DEFRA holds figures only for animals culled for disease control purposes. It is estimated that the number of animals (cattle, sheep and pigs) slaughtered for consumption in England during August and September this year is 14 per cent. below the same period in 2006 (equivalent to around 455,152 animals). This figure includes animals slaughtered in England but originating in Scotland and Wales.

Foot and Mouth Disease: Hunting

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  for what reasons trail and drag hunting is prohibited in foot and mouth disease low risk areas;
	(2)  whether there are biosecurity hazards associated with trail and drag hunting;
	(3)  when he will allow trail and drag hunting on foot and mouth disease  (a) low risk and  (b) risk areas.

Jonathan R Shaw: The current ban on trail and drag hunting across the whole of Great Britain is a legal requirement under the Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) (England) Order 2006 and was also required by previous legislation dating back to 1983.
	Epidemiological evidence from the current outbreak suggests that the disease could have been transmitted by fomites on vehicles or other bodies and could have been carried from areas containing infected animals to previously 'clean' areas.
	The risk of horses, in particular, transporting the virus in this way is increased. This is because they are often kept on the same premises as susceptible animals, transported in vehicles used for moving susceptible animals, have contact with susceptible animals on neighbouring farms, or are handled by persons who also have contact with susceptible animals.
	There are, therefore, tight controls on the types of activities such as trail and drag hunting involving horses.
	Our many licensing priorities in both the FMD risk and low risk areas are constantly under review with consideration from the farming industry and experts. Any decision to allow trail and drag hunting under licence will be based on an assessment of the disease risk. We will continue to keep restrictions under review with the aim of lifting them as quickly as possible consistent with our overriding objective of eradicating FMD.

Foot and Mouth Disease: Hunting

Peter Atkinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will review regulations that forbid trail and drag hunting and stalking in low risk foot and mouth areas such as Northumberland, Cumbria and Yorkshire.

Jonathan R Shaw: holding answer 16 October 2007
	 The current ban on trail and drag hunting and stalking across the whole of Great Britain is a legal requirement under the Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) (England) Order 2006 and was also required by previous legislation dating back to 1983.
	Our licensing priorities are constantly under review with consideration from industry and experts. Any decision to allow trail and drag hunting will be based on assessment of the disease risk. We will continue to keep restrictions under constant review with the aim of lifting them as quickly as possible consistent with our overriding objective of eradicating FMD.

Foot and Mouth Disease: Public Inquiries

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether his Department plans to establish an independent public inquiry into its handling of the foot and mouth outbreaks of 2007.

Jonathan R Shaw: holding answer 15 October 2007
	Following the recent outbreak of foot and mouth disease in August and September 2007, the Prime Minister has asked Dr. Iain Anderson to look at the Government's response to the outbreak. Dr. Anderson chaired the previous independent inquiry into the 2001 outbreak. The terms of reference for the Foot and Mouth Review 2007 are:
	To conduct a review of the Government's handling of the outbreak of foot and mouth disease during 2007, in order to:
	i. Establish whether relevant points from the Lessons to be Learned Report on the 2001 outbreak were implemented;
	ii. Establish whether new lessons might be drawn from the handling of the 2007 outbreak; and
	iii. To make recommendations by the end of 2007 to the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on the future handling of foot and mouth disease outbreaks.
	This is the most effective and efficient way to learn the lessons of this outbreak and respond accordingly. We have no plans to establish a public inquiry.

Foot and Mouth Disease: Scotland

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what discussions  (a) he and  (b) his officials have had with the National Farmers Union of Scotland on the outbreaks of (i) foot and mouth and (ii) blue tongue disease;
	(2)  what meetings  (a) he and  (b) his officials have had with the Ministers or officials of the Scottish Executive to discuss the outbreak of (i) foot and mouth and (ii) blue tongue disease; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  what representations  (a) he and  (b) his officials have received from (i) Ministers and (ii) officials of the Scottish Executive on compensation available to farmers in Scotland following the outbreak of (A) foot and mouth and (B) blue tongue disease; and if he will make a statement;
	(4)  what representations he has received from the National Farmers Union of Scotland on compensation for losses suffered as a result of the foot and mouth outbreak.

Jonathan R Shaw: holding answer 11 October 2007
	We are working closely with the Scottish Executive and others to co-ordinate our disease control response throughout the United Kingdom. DEFRA has had a range of discussions with the Scottish Executive throughout the current outbreaks of foot and mouth disease and bluetongue, at both ministerial and official level. The National Farmers Union (NFU) of Scotland have participated in discussions with officials from DEFRA and the Scottish Executive. We have also received a range of representations from the Scottish Executive and the NFU on these issues, including compensation.

Foot and Mouth Disease: Sheep

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimates he has made of the number of fat lambs which remain unsold due to foot and mouth restrictions.

Jonathan R Shaw: It is estimated that the number of fat lambs slaughtered for consumption in England, during August and September this year, is 21 per cent. below the same period in 2006. This equates to around 370,000 animals and it includes lambs slaughtered in England but originating in Scotland and Wales.

Foot and Mouth Disease: Subsidies

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will ensure price support is provided for farmers affected by the foot and mouth outbreaks of 2007.

Jonathan R Shaw: holding answer 15 October 2007
	Under the Animal Health Act 1981, compensation is paid for animals that are compulsorily slaughtered to prevent the spread of disease. For foot and mouth disease (FMD), the Act requires that compensation is paid at the full market value before the animal became infected. This is determined by an approved valuer at the time of slaughter. Compensation is also paid for other items, such as farm equipment and feed, where these are seized because they are considered to be contaminated; this includes such things as milk. However, it is a long established principle that the Government do not meet the costs of consequential losses, which must be borne by the industry. Government seek to minimise the risk of market impacts, particularly by encouraging public understanding of the issues.
	We are taking a risk-based and staged approach to easing movement restrictions when the evidence indicates that it is appropriate to do so. This is the best way to facilitate the return to normal working for the industry. We are working in partnership with the industry, but eradication of foot and mouth disease remains our priority.
	There is a role for the Government in partially meeting the immediate need to encourage higher consumption at home and to provide an alternative market for products previously exported. On 8 October, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State (Hilary Benn) announced a support package worth £12.5 million to stimulate the market and assist those livestock farmers worst affected by restrictions imposed as a result of FMD,  Official Report, column 39. The package includes £8.5 million to provide support for our hill farmers; £1 million to assist farmers in the FMD risk area with the cost of removing fallen stock; £2 million to promote the sales of red meat and pork domestically and in our export markets; and a donation of up to £1 million to the Arthur Rank Centre for disbursement to Farming Help charities.

Hares Preservation Act 1892

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether there are plans to repeal the Hares Preservation Act 1892 in full or in part.

Joan Ruddock: holding answer 17 October 2007
	DEFRA currently has no plans to repeal the Hares Preservation Act 1892 in full or in part.

Hazardous Substances: Waste Disposal

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what enforcement mechanisms exist to ensure that companies which fail to dispose properly of toxic waste are liable for damage caused as a result.

Joan Ruddock: The illegal disposal of waste is a criminal offence under section 33 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. Individuals and companies can be liable for the offence which carries a maximum penalty of five years imprisonment, an unlimited fine, or both. When deciding on the severity of a sentence to impose on a company that has been found guilty of disposing of waste illegally, the court is able to take into consideration any damage caused as a result, including environmental damage.
	In addition, sections 42 and 43 of the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005 amended section 33 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 to give the courts new powers to:
	(a) order an offender to pay the enforcing authority's investigation and enforcement costs, and any costs associated with the seizure of vehicles involved in the offence;
	(b) require the offender to pay the Environment Agency, a local authority or the occupier or owner of land, any costs incurred in removing waste that has been illegally deposited. Clean-up costs can include removing the waste and/or taking other steps to reduce the consequences of the incident.
	The Government are currently in the process of implementing the Environmental Liability Directive which is aimed at the prevention and remedying of environmental damage. This is based on the "polluter pays" principle.

Institute for Animal Health: Pirbright

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what bio-security measures are in force at the Institute for Animal Health Laboratory and the adjoining Merial Animal Health Laboratory at Pirbright to ensure that human and animal health is not affected by work being carried out there; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan R Shaw: holding answer 17 October 2007
	Stringent bio-security conditions have always applied to work carried out on the Pirbright site. Additional measures have now been implemented that go above and beyond those contained in the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and Spratt reports. These measures are set out in the Government's response to those reports, which is available in the Libraries of the House and on the DEFRA website.

Institute for Animal Health: Pirbright

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which officials in his Department have been responsible for the inspection and licensing of Pirbright laboratories in each year since 2002; and whether those officials remain in post.

Jonathan R Shaw: Inspections were carried out for the Department by senior DEFRA veterinarians with specialist knowledge of laboratory containment, exotic animal diseases and the requirements for licensing laboratories under the Specified Animal Pathogens Order (SAPO) 1998. Some of these officials have since left the Department, for reasons not connected with this work, while others remain in post.

Ivory

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what policy line he took at the 14(th) Conference of the Parties of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species on the sale of stockpiled ivory.

Joan Ruddock: The UK policy was, and is, that we only support the one-off sale of stockpiled ivory where the conditions originally agreed by CITES parties in 2002 have been met. At the meeting of the 55(th) CITES Standing Committee on 2 June 2007, immediately prior to the 14(th) Conference of the Parties (CoP14), it was agreed that the conditions had been met and the stockpile sale was permitted. The UK was satisfied that the conditions had been met and, therefore, supported this decision at the meeting, with the proviso that funding for the subsequent monitoring of the outcomes of the sale was secured.
	At the subsequent CoP14 (3-15 June), agreement was reached by African range states that increased tonnages could be sold, including stockpiles from Zimbabwe. It was also agreed that there will be a nine year "resting" period on consideration of any further sales of ivory after the one-off sale takes place to allow the effects of the stockpile sale to be properly assessed. Some of the proceeds of the sale will be placed in an African Elephant Fund to support conservation measures across their range.
	Leading up to the Conference, the UK (and EU) maintained an open position on this issue preferring the African elephant range states to debate the issue among themselves. The UK Government was pleased that agreement over such a contentious issue was finally reached and fully supported the outcome.

Land: Planning

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will place in the Library a copy of the research report commissioned by his Department on the effect of best and most versatile land designation on planning decisions (LE0217).

Jonathan R Shaw: I have arranged for a copy of this report to be placed in the Library.

Landfill Tax

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of the amount of landfill tax which will be raised from waste arising from recent serious cases of flooding.

Joan Ruddock: My Department has not specifically assessed the increase in landfill tax receipts following recent serious cases of flooding.
	However, we would expect only a relatively small increase in municipal waste arisings as a result of recent flooding, which would be within the normal range of variations in annual waste arisings. This should not have a long-term or significant impact on waste management costs.

Landfill: Methane

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what requirements there are for  (a) new and  (b) existing landfill sites to collect methane emissions from the site and use them as an energy source.

Joan Ruddock: The EU Landfill Directive (1999/31/EC) requires landfill gas to be collected from all new and existing landfill sites receiving biodegradable waste; landfill gas must be treated and used; and landfill gas which cannot be used to produce energy must be flared. The collection, treatment and use of landfill gas must be undertaken in a manner which minimises damage to or deterioration of the environment and risk to human health.
	In this context, an existing landfill site is one which was operational on or after 16 July 2001.

Recycling: Business

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what incentives his Department provides for local authorities to engage with local businesses to promote recycling.

Joan Ruddock: holding answer 15 October 2007
	The landfill tax escalator gives greater financial incentives to reduce, reuse and recycle waste. This was increased in the 2007 Budget so that the standard rate of tax will increase by £8 per year from 2008 until at least 2010-11. If private waste collectors that collect commercial waste fail to offer alternatives to landfill (such as recycling) they will find that the waste treatment services they offer will no longer be cost effective. This is an incentive for waste contractors to consider developing waste management partnerships with local authorities to provide services to local businesses.
	In addition, the Business Resource Efficiency and Waste Programme (BREW) has been developed to give money raised through the landfill tax back to business through funding resource efficiency and waste projects that will benefit business. The BREW Centre for Local Authorities was set up to help local authorities undertake a leadership role in supporting the business community to become more profitable through business resource efficiency and waste reduction.

Recycling: Finance

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what additional funding is being provided to local authorities to meet central Government recycling targets.

Joan Ruddock: The main sources of funding for local authorities' waste management services are revenue support grant (RSG) and national non-domestic rates (NNDR), distributed by central Government, and council tax. It is for local authorities to decide what proportion of this funding to invest in waste management services, including recycling. Other funding made available to authorities in England for waste management since 1997 is shown in the following table:
	
		
			  Funding provided 
			  million 
			  Scheme  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08 
			 Waste Minimisation and Recycling Fund 50 90 90 45 — — 
			 Waste Performance and Efficiency Grant — — — 40 105 110 
			 Grant to Relieve Spending Pressures on Waste — — 20 — — — 
			 Household Incentives Pilot Scheme — — — 5 — — 
			 Private Finance Initiative 70 100 125 130 255 280 
			 Local Communications Fund (WRAP) — — 16.2 — — — 
			 Behavioural Change Local Fund (WRAP) — — — — 13  
		
	
	As part of Comprehensive Spending Review 2007, the Government have also announced a further step change in Private Finance Initiative spending on waste, more than doubling from £280 million in 2007-08 to £700 million by 2010-11, totalling £2 billion over the three years of the next spending period.

Waste Management: Welsh Assembly Government

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions his Department has had with the Welsh Assembly Government on the CBI's proposals for UK and Europe-wide standards on waste management.

Joan Ruddock: On 12 October 2006, the Government, in association with the devolved Administrations, published a consultation paper on the European Commission's proposal to revise the Waste Framework Directive (WFD). The Commission's proposal included a provision to enable the adoption by comitology of EU-wide minimum standards for waste management operations. A summary and analysis of the responses to this consultation is available on the DEFRA website at:
	www.defra.gov.uk.
	The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) responded to DEFRA's consultation on the revision of the WFD. However, I am advised that DEFRA has no record of the CBI subsequently submitting proposals for UK and EU-wide standards on waste management. It follows that no discussions on such proposals have taken place with the Welsh Assembly Government.

Wood

Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of methods to decontaminate surplus wood of toxic preservatives prior to being burned in commercial wood-burning furnaces or power plants.

Joan Ruddock: No specific assessment has been made by my Department of the effectiveness of methods to decontaminate surplus wood of toxic preservatives prior to being burned in commercial wood-burning furnaces or power plants.
	However, DEFRA's Waste Infrastructure Delivery Programme (WIDP) has investigated ways of diverting waste wood from landfill. This is in response to recommendation 4 of the Biomass Task Force Report to the Government, published in October 2005. DEFRA's general conclusion is that it is more cost effective to treat contaminated waste wood as a waste and to dispose of it in a Waste Incineration Directive (WID)-compliant facility than to attempt to decontaminate and burn it in commercial wood-burning furnaces or power plants as a non-waste. Such WID-compliant facilities can recover energy as electricity, or electricity and heat in the form of combined heat and power for industrial purposes.

Wood: Waste Disposal

Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what legislative provisions apply to the safe disposal of timber treated with  (a) copper chrome arsenate,  (b) ammoniacal copper quaternary,  (c) copper azole,  (d) boron , (e) creosote and  (f) pyrethroid and metal-based light organic solvent preservatives.

Joan Ruddock: All wastes must be recovered or disposed of without endangering human health and without using processes or methods which could harm the environment.
	The Waste Incineration Directive (2000/76/EC) is implemented through the Waste Incineration (England and Wales) Regulations 2002 (SI 2002 No. 2980) and applies to the incineration of waste timber which has been treated with any of the substances mentioned.
	The Landfill Directive (1999/31/EC) has been transposed via the Landfill (England and Wales) Regulations 2002 (as amended). One aspect of the Landfill Directive is that landfill sites have to be categorised into one of three types: hazardous, non-hazardous or inert. Hazardous and inert wastes for landfill have to meet the waste acceptance criteria destined for landfill. The criteria are limits of contaminants permitted in waste, together with testing standards and procedures that must be used. Hazardous wastes are also required to be pre-treated before landfill. From 30 October 2007, all non-hazardous and inert wastes going to landfill will also need to meet the pre-treatment requirement.
	Where such waste timber, which is classed as hazardous waste under regulation 6 of the Hazardous Waste (England and Wales) Regulations 2005 (SI 2005 No 894), is disposed of by means other than incineration or landfill in a facility with a capacity of more than 10 tonnes per day, the facility is subject to the integrated pollution prevention and control (IPPC) Directive (96/61/EC) which is implemented through the Pollution Prevention and Control(England and Wales) Regulations 2000 (SI 2000 No. 1973).

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

Ministerial Responsibilities

Anne Main: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what the reasons are for the time taken to produce the list of ministerial responsibilities; and if he will make a statement.

Edward Miliband: The new "List of Ministerial Responsibilities" has been published today. Copies have been placed in the Libraries of the House and are also available in the Vote Office for hon. Members.

ELECTORAL COMMISSION COMMITTEE

Political Parties: Finance

Francis Maude: To ask the hon. Member for Gosport, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission whether the Electoral Commission plans to appeal against the ruling of the High Court of August 2007 on impermissible donations to the UK Independence Party; and if he will make a statement.

Peter Viggers: The Electoral Commission informs me that, on 7 August 2007, judgment was given on an application by the Commission to Westminster magistrates court under section 58 of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 for forfeiture by the UK Independence Party of an amount equal to the value of certain donations the Party had accepted. The court found all of the donations in question to be from impermissible donors, but ordered the forfeiture of an amount equal in value to only some of those donations. On 21 August, the Electoral Commission commenced appeal proceedings. The appeal is for a judicial review by the High Court of the magistrates court's decision not to order forfeiture of an amount equal in value to the remainder of the donations that were the subject of the original application. A date for the hearing has not yet been set.

HEALTH

Breast Cancer: Screening

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people were screened for breast cancer per head of the population in  (a) Hertfordshire and  (b) England in the last year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Ann Keen: The information requested is in the following table for 2005-06, the latest year for which figures are available. The figures are broken down by primary care trust (PCT) in Hertfordshire, along with figures for England. As the figures are for 2005-06, they are based on the previous PCT boundaries.
	
		
			  Primary care trust  Eligible population( 1)  Number of women screened  Coverage( 2)  (Percentage) 
			 Dacorum 10,220 8,104 79.3 
			 Hertsmere 6,342 4,697 74.1 
			 North Hertfordshire and Stevenage 12,671 9,932 78.4 
			 Royston, Buntingford and Bishop's Stortford 5,745 3,494 60.8 
			 South East Hertfordshire 13,212 10,040 76 
			 St. Albans and Harpenden 9,228 6,927 75.1 
			 Watford and Three Rivers 11,488 6,916 60.2 
			 England 3,633,181 2,756,716 75.9 
			 (1) Although the breast screening programme now invites women aged 50 to 70, these figures cover women aged 53 to 64 as coverage of the programme is best assessed using this age range group as women may be first called at any time between their 50(th) and 53(rd) birthday depending on the logistics of the local programme. In addition, not all programmes had extended invitations to women aged 70 for the whole of 2005-06, although all had by the end of 2005-06. Eligible population is the number of women in the resident population less those recorded as ineligible. (2) Less then three years since last test.  Source: Breast Screening Programme England 2005-06 (National Statistics and the Information Centre).

Contraceptives

Natascha Engel: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate his Department has made of the cost to the NHS per patient of  (a) long-acting reversible contraceptives and  (b) other forms of contraception in the next five years.

Dawn Primarolo: In October 2005 the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) issued clinical guidance on long-acting reversible contraception (LARC). It shows that all LARC methods are more cost effective than the combined oral contraceptive pill even at one year of use. The following table shows estimated method costs (per 1,000 women) after five years of use. Cost per patient is not estimated centrally.
	
		
			  Method and healthcare service costs 
			  Method  Five year cost 
			 Intrauterine device 534,555 
			 Intrauterine system 603,534 
			 Injectable 760,600 
			 Implant 667,275 
			 Male condom 993,769 
			 Combined pill 899,697 
			  Source:  Long-acting reversible contraception, clinical guidelines, NICE, 2005

Cosmetics: Health Hazards

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what assessment has been made of the possible effects of skin-lightening products on health; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the compliance with UK regulatory and licensing requirements of skin-lightening products; and if he will make a statement.

Gareth Thomas: I have been asked to reply.
	No such assessments have been made.

Dental Services

Daniel Rogerson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 6 February 2007,  Official Report, column 803W, if his Department will now collect information on dentist practices which have closed their lists to NHS patients since the inception of the new NHS dentist contract.

Ann Keen: Information on dental practices which have ceased to provide national health service services since the launch of the reforms in April 2006 is not held centrally and there are no plans to make this an additional new central return.
	Information is available on the number of dental contracts offered at the start of the new system in April 2006 and the number of those contracts signed and rejected. 8,377 out of 9,428 contracts offered were signed. 2,884 of these were initially signed in dispute. By 30 June 2007, the latest date for which information is available just 223 remained in dispute. Of the disputes resolved over 99 per cent. ended in the contractor staying with the NHS. This information is held by dental contract not by dentist. A contract may cover one dentist or a whole practice.

Dental Services: Peterborough

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what spare capacity, expressed in patient numbers, is available for  (a) under 18,  (b) over 18 fee-paying and  (c) over 18 charge-exempt people to register with each NHS dental practice in Peterborough; and if he will make a statement.

Ann Keen: holding answer 17 October 2007
	 The information requested is not held centrally.

Departments: Consultants

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the contracts his Department signed on a consultancy basis with a net value of more than £20,000 in 2006.

Ben Bradshaw: The Department does not collect information on contracts signed on a consultancy basis with a net value of more than £20,000 in the format requested. To do so would attract disproportionate cost.
	A new system will be introduced in April 2008 called SHOWA, which will be able to gather such information for the Department.

Departments: Secondment

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many staff are seconded to his Department from outside Government; from which outside body each has been seconded; and what the length is of each secondment.

Dawn Primarolo: As at 1 September 2007, there were 61 people (57.7 full-time equivalent) seconded into the Department. The Department's main human resources information system does not show where a person has been seconded from, or the length of their secondment.
	Work carried out to answer a previous Freedom of Information request suggested that virtually all secondees into the Department are from public sector organisations and anecdotally most of these are from national health service trusts or other health-related organisations. Secondments are normally for a period of up to two years.

Health Hazards: Mobile Phones

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what official response the Government  (a) has made and  (b) plans to make to the report of the findings of the Mobile Telecommunications and Health Research programme;
	(2)  what health advice he plans to provide to the public following the findings of the Mobile Telecommunications and Health Research programme;
	(3)  what discussions he has had with the Health Protection Agency on the findings of the Mobile Telecommunications and Health Research programme; whether the Health Protection Agency will be updating its advice to the public in the light of the report from the programme; and if he will make a statement;
	(4)  what assessment he has made of the appropriateness of current health advice on the use of mobile telephones in the light of the findings of the Mobile Telecommunications and Health Research programme; and if he will make a statement;
	(5)  what recent discussions his Department has had with the devolved Administrations on raising awareness of the Mobile Telecommunications and Health Research programme report and its findings.

Dawn Primarolo: The Department is grateful to the Management Committee of the Mobile Telecommunications and Health Research (MTHR) programme for producing the "Mobile Telecommunications and Health Research Programme Report 2007—MTHR Programme Management Committee" published on 12 September. The report is available in the Library and at www.mthr.org.uk.
	We shall also send a copy to hon. Members, as we believe it will be helpful when responding to enquiries from constituents about mobile phone technology and health.
	The Health Protection Agency's (HPA) Radiation Protection Division has the responsibility of advising on radiation risk and health protection matters. In undertaking this role the HPA monitors progress in radiation and electromagnetic field health research, that is undertaken throughout the world, in order to inform its advice. The MTHR results will add to the information available to the HPA in support of that advice.
	The Department's advice that is currently available in the form of leaflets and web based information will be updated in the course of the next few months in co-operation with the HPA and Health Department officials in the devolved Administrations.

Kidney Patients: Counselling

Lee Scott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many renal counsellors are employed in England; at which kidney units they are located and what services they provide; whether their services are provided by the NHS; how many and what proportion of kidney patients saw a counsellor in the last 12 months; what the average number of sessions with a counsellor for each patient was in that period; by what means kidney patients may access counsellors and how they are informed of their ability to do so; and whether counsellors are employed solely to aid kidney patients.

Ann Keen: This information is not collected centrally.

Mentally Ill

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment his Department has made of the implications of stigma surrounding mental health in England; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: The Department recognises that the stigma and discrimination faced by people with mental illness is a major social problem. People with mental health problems are one of the most excluded social groups in society, with fewer than a quarter in employment. They can find themselves excluded from education, health care and community participation. People with mental illness who disclose their condition can find themselves shunned by neighbours and colleagues while some do not disclose their illness to family and friends. For many people with mental illness, a diagnosis of mental illness can have a worse impact upon their lives than their symptoms.
	The Department is funding a five-year programme, Shift, through the Care Services Improvement Programme to tackle the stigma and discrimination which surrounds mental illness. Shift is working with various bodies, and its focus this year is on the media and employers. On World Mental Health day on 10 October, Shift launched guidance for employers on improving their recruitment and retention processes for people with mental health problems.
	The Department and Shift are working with the mental health charity sector consortium, Moving People, which has recently won £18 million from the Big Lottery and Comic Relief to run a four-year anti-stigma and mental health promotion campaign. The details of how the Government will support this initiative, which involves Mind, Rethink, Mental Health Media and the Institute of Psychiatry, are being formulated.

Midwives: NHS Stockport Primary Care Trust

Mark Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many midwives were in training in Stockport Primary Care Trust hospitals in each year since 1997.

Ann Keen: The requested information is not collected centrally.

Myasthenia Gravis

Phyllis Starkey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of services provided by the NHS for people with myasthenia gravis; and if he will make a statement.

Ann Keen: We have made no assessment of the services provided by the national health service for people with myasthenia gravis.

Out of Area Treatment

Daniel Rogerson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what provisions he plans to make for cross-border user representation within local involvement networks to reflect situations where residents from one local authority area routinely use services within another.

Ann Keen: We recognise the need for local involvement networks (LINks) arrangements to reflect the fact that some people do use health and social care services outside the local authority area where they reside. That is why we have ensured there is appropriate provision within the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Bill, currently before Parliament, to enable LINks activities not only to relate to health and social care services provided within their local authority area, but also health and social care services provided, in any place, for people from the area. We have also included provisions which will enable LINks to work together, regionally and/or nationally, as a means of undertaking their activities.
	We intend to published guidance for LINks in the spring and as part of this guidance we will explore in detail how LINks might work together to ensure cross-border representation for patients.

Palliative Care

Mark Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidelines there are for provision of palliative care for patients who wish to die at home; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: Three key tools—the Gold Standards Framework, the Liverpool Care Pathway and the Preferred Priorities for Care—are used as a basis for providing training for generalist staff in the principles of palliative care so that all patients at the end of life have access to high quality care.
	Over the last three years we have invested £12 million in an end of life care programme to promote roll-out of these tried and tested tools, and thus promote greater choice for patients about where they are able to be cared for and die.
	Latest figures show that one or more of these tools is being used in 69 per cent. of general practitioners practices, 81 per cent. of hospitals, 41 per cent. of community hospitals, 69 per cent. of hospices and 6.4 per cent. of care homes. The Department is currently developing the first ever end of life care strategy for adults, which will deliver increased choice to all adult patients regardless of their condition about where they live and die, and provide them with support to make this possible.
	We have deferred publication of the strategy to allow us to take account of the important work being undertaken on end of life care at strategic health authority (SHA) level for the next stage review which will be completed in the new year. We have provided SHAs with information that we hope they will find useful and it is important that we now take account of their work to ensure that the national strategy encompasses local innovation.

Palliative Care: Finance

Mark Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what amount of funding was allocated in each primary care trust area to palliative care for patients who wish to die at home in each year since 1997.

Ann Keen: This information is not available centrally. Primary care trusts are responsible for commissioning and funding services to meet the needs of their resident population including those for end of life care.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Alcoholic Drinks: Licensing

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many licences to sell alcohol were  (a) suspended and  (b) revoked in (i) London and (ii) England in each year since 1997 on grounds of the sale of alcohol to persons under the age of 18 years.

Gerry Sutcliffe: This information is not held centrally.
	Past and future statistical bulletins on licences to sell alcohol include the number of licences revoked, but do not give reasons. Licences may be revoked for a number of reasons or a variety of factors, including sales to children. Prior to 24 November 2005, statistical returns did not differentiate between alcohol licences not renewed and licences revoked.

Big Lottery Fund

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the answer of 11 October 2007,  Official Report, column 693W, on the Big Lottery Fund, whether interest is earned on this sum.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The overall balance held in the National Lottery Distribution Fund (NLDF) on behalf of the 13 non-Olympic distributing bodies is invested by the Commissioners for the Reduction of the National Debt (CRND).
	The interest earned on this investment is shared between the 13 distributors in the same fixed percentages as income generated by the national lottery operator, Camelot, and becomes available for distribution to the good causes they support. The Big Lottery Fund receives 50 per cent. of the interest earned on the overall NLDF balance. Its share is not directly related to the size of its individual NLDF balance.

Bookmakers: Licensing

David Cameron: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much revenue was collected from fees for bookmakers' premises licences in the UK in 2006-07; and what percentage of this came from independent bookmakers.

James Purnell: For 2006-07, and until 1 September 2007 when the Gambling Act 2005 was implemented, bookmakers required both a bookmaker's permit and a betting office licence. These were issued and charged for by local magistrates, under the Gaming Act 1968. Since 1 September local licensing authorities have issued premises licences. Information on revenue from this source raised by local licensing authorities, and previously by magistrates, is not held centrally. Data could be collected only at disproportionate cost.

Bookmakers: Licensing

David Cameron: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many independent bookmakers there are in the UK; and what the cost to them of  (a) licence fees charged,  (b) the operating licence charged and  (c) the premises licence charged was in 2006-07.

James Purnell: Bookmakers have been able to apply to the Gambling Commission for operating licences under the Gambling Act 2005 from 1 January 2007. There is no defined category of "independent bookmaker". Total numbers of off-course bookmakers to which the Commission has issued operating licences to date are:
	
		
			  Category  Operators 
			 A—four or fewer premises 605 
			 B—five to 15 premises 52 
			 C—16 to 50 premises 17 
			 D—51 to 199 premises 4 
			 E—200 or more premises 5 
		
	
	Both application fees and annual fees are charged by the Commission, in accordance with the table. In the period to 31 March 2007 it collected £56,318 in application fees from off-course bookmakers. Premises licence fees are a matter for local licensing authorities, and data are not collected centrally.
	
		
			  Application fees 
			  £ 
			   Category 
			   A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H 
			  Non-remote licences 
			 General betting (limited) 180 360 990 — — — — — 
			 General betting (standard) 988 988 3,459 17,295 40,518 — — — 
			  
			  Remote licences 
			 General betting (standard) — — — — — 988 3,294 16,471 
		
	
	
		
			  Annual fees 
			  £ 
			   Category 
			   A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H 
			  Non-remote licences 
			 General betting (limited) 200 467 1,267 — — — — — 
			 General betting (standard) 1,769 7,077 16,860 36,862 212,372 — — — 
			  
			  Remote licences 
			 General betting (standard) — — — — — 12,733 34,176 66,341

Bookmakers: Licensing

David Cameron: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans he has to review the system of betting licences, operating licences and premise licences issued to British bookmakers.

James Purnell: The Gambling Act 2005, which came fully into effect on 1 September 2007, places the protection of children and vulnerable people at the heart of the gambling licensing system for the first time. We have no plans to review this new framework.

British Bob Skeleton Association: Legal Costs

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much and what proportion of the cost of the British Bob Skeleton Association's legal action against the British Bobsleigh Association was met from the public purse or National Lottery funds via UK Sport.

Gerry Sutcliffe: UK Sport is not aware of any legal action by the British Bob Skeleton Association (BBSKA) against the British Bobsleigh Association.
	UK Sport is aware of legal action taken earlier this year by the BBSKA against the Federation Internationale de Bobsleigh et de Tobogganing (FIBT). This was in the form of an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport against the FIBT's decision to change the rules over race licensing arrangements for skeleton athletes, without prior consultation. BBSKA used £17,000 of funding received from UK Sport to meet the costs of this successful action.
	UK Sport agreed to meet this proportion of the costs because of the direct impact the decision was having on the athletes' ability to train and compete, and therefore the BBSKA's ability to deliver its performance programme. UK Sport did, however, make clear to the BBSKA that further costs associated with this legal action would need to be met from other sources of income. UK Sport is not aware of the total cost to the BBSKA of undertaking this legal action.

Casinos

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the written statement of 16 July 2007,  Official Report, column 2WS, on casinos, what the Government's policy is on the establishment of a supercasino in the UK.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Prime Minister has asked the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government to consider, with other Departments, including the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, whether deprived areas can be equally well served by other forms of regeneration than a regional casino.
	That work is now well under way, and the Prime Minister has asked the Secretary of State to report to him later in the autumn.

Casinos: Licensing

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans there are to review the rollout of premises licences issued by local authorities; and if he will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: We see no necessity to review the way in which premises licences have been introduced under the Gambling Act 2005. Applications by existing businesses could be made from 21 May 2007 and any businesses whose applications had not been determined by 1 September 2007, when the Act came into force are being permitted to operate until their applications are determined. The Department issued guidance to both the industry and licensing authorities for the transitional period. The Gambling Commission have published guidance to licensing authorities on the premises licence regime as a whole.

Gambling: EU Legislation

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when he last met his French, Spanish and German counterparts to discuss EU gambling legislation.

Gerry Sutcliffe: DCMS Ministers have not had any meetings with their French, Spanish and German counterparts specifically to discuss EU gambling legislation over the past year. I am scheduled to meet with them at the next EU Sports Ministers meeting on 25 October.
	However, officials from my Department keep in close contact with officials in the European Commission on developments affecting gambling.

Gaming Machines

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans there are to review the number of category B1 machines permitted in adult amusement centres.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Adult gaming centres are permitted a maximum of four category B3 machines, which have a maximum stake of one and a maximum prize of £500. There are no plans to review the number of category B3 machines that adult gaming centres can make available.
	Category B1 machines have a maximum stake of two and a maximum prize of £4,000 and can only be made available in casinos.

National Lottery

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much was spent on national lottery ticket sales in  (a) Wirral South,  (b) Wirral,  (c) Merseyside,  (d) the North West and  (e) England in the last year for which figures are available; and how much was distributed to good causes in those areas in the same period.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The national lottery operator, Camelot, does not collect ticket sales information on a constituency, district, county or regional basis, nor do they routinely collect ticket sales data based on postcodes. The most up-to-date sales data by postcode area is available in the Libraries of both Houses and provides information up to 2004.

QUEST

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether the Quality, Efficiency and Standards Team is still in operation in his Department.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Quality, Efficiency and Standards Team in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport was disbanded in 2002.

Rugby

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent estimate he has made of the number of people who regularly take part in rugby union games and training, including tag and touch rugby; and if he will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Data from the 2005-06 Sport England 'Active People' survey showed that 267,817 adults (16 years and over) regularly participated in rugby union games and training. 'Active People' regards participating at least once in the last four weeks as regular participation.

Rugby League

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether he plans to attend any of the rugby league test matches between Great Britain and New Zealand in an official capacity.

James Purnell: I will be attending the rugby league test match between Great Britain and New Zealand on 27 October in Huddersfield. I am looking forward to this unique test series which will celebrate the centenary of international rugby league competition.

Sports: Finance

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment he has made of progress in tackling the inequality of sports funding between men and women; what plans he has to reduce such inequality; and if he will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Figures from the Taking Part survey show that on average women have lower rates of participation in sport than men. We therefore have a public service agreement to increase participation in sport by 3 per cent. by 2008, with a specific focus on priority groups with lower than average rates of participation—one of which is women.
	As part of this focus to increase participation in sport by women, since 2006 the Department for Culture, Media and Sport through Sport England has funded 770 projects where women are one of the target beneficiaries. Sport England also grant aids the Women's Sport Foundation and in 2007-08 it is providing £326,148. The Sport England application process is open to all and does not discriminate by gender or any other group.

UK Sport

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many overseas conferences and events UK Sport has been involved with since 2005; how many it is due to be involved with in the future; and what the cost of such involvement was in 2006-07.

Gerry Sutcliffe: UK Sport has financially supported or helped organise six international conferences between 2005 and 2007. In addition, individual UK Sport employees have attended various overseas conferences and events as delegates or speakers since 2005.
	It currently has plans to support two future events in partnership with the British Council: a PE and School Sport seminar in Brazil in February 2008 and a Dreams and Teams Young Leaders event in India in 2010 to coincide with the Commonwealth games in New Delhi.
	The cost of UK Sport's involvement in 2006-07 was approximately £35,500.

UK Sport: Grants

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what account UK Sport takes of recognition of national governing bodies of sports by international federations in deciding whether to fund them; and if he will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: One of the criteria for recognition of a governing body used by all the sports councils, including UK Sport, is that it is affiliated or is in the process of affiliating to the international governing body for the sport (as appropriate to the sport).
	The recognition of a governing body does not necessarily make it eligible or entitled to consideration for funding. The decision on which body to fund is based on various separate considerations, of which recognition is one.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Asylum: Sudan

Joan Ryan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will cease returning Darfuri asylum seekers pending  (a) review of the safety of such asylum seekers who have already been returned to Sudan and  (b) a ceasefire peace agreement and secure environment being in place in that country.

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment her Department has made of the  (a) safety of Darfuri asylum seekers who have been returned to Khartoum from the UK since 2003 and  (b) likely safety of Darfuri asylum seekers who are due to be returned to Khartoum from the UK.

Liam Byrne: We take the recent allegations made by the Aegis Trust regarding the treatment of failed asylum seekers who have returned to Sudan very seriously and we are investigating them very thoroughly.
	On 4 October, the House of Lords heard an appeal brought by the Home Office on whether it is reasonable to return failed asylum seekers to Khartoum where the Court of Appeal have found no risk of persecution.
	There are no enforced returns of failed asylum seekers currently planned before the House of Lords judgment is expected.

Border and Immigration Agency: Correspondence

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average length of time was between the receipt of a letter by the Border and Immigration Agency and its predecessor from a hon. Member and the sending of a substantive reply in each year since 2001; and if she will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: Figures on the length of time taken to reply to hon. Members' correspondence to the Immigration and Nationality Directorate received before August 2004 are not available.
	The figures by year are:
	August-December 2004—37.83 working days
	January-December 2005—32.80 working days
	January-December 2006—23.56 working days

Border and Immigration Agency: Correspondence

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many and what proportion of letters sent by hon. Members to the Border and Immigration Agency in 2006 received a substantive reply within  (a) three,  (b) four,  (c) six,  (d) eight,  (e) 10 and  (f) more than 10 weeks; and if she will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: In the period 1 January to 31 December 2006 the Border and Immigration Agency received 41,513 letters from hon. Members.
	Of these:
	 (a) 22,837 (55.0 per cent.) were answered in three weeks or less
	 (b) 32,436 (78.1 per cent.) were answered in four weeks or less
	 (c) 34,802 (83.8 per cent.) were answered in six weeks or less
	 (d) 35,575 (85.7 per cent.) were answered in eight weeks or less
	 (e) 36,121 (87.0 per cent.) were answered in 10 weeks or less
	 (f) 5,393 (13.0 per cent.) took more than 10 weeks to answer.

Courts: Administrative Delays

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate she has made of the average length of time taken to bring suspects before a court in cases of  (a) assault and  (b) other crimes; what steps she is taking to reduce these times; and if she will make a statement.

Maria Eagle: I have been asked to reply.
	The table sets out the average time taken between the recorded date on which a defendant commits an offence to the date on which the defendant's case is first considered by a magistrates court, for the last six years. Figures have also been provided for the average time taken between:
	(a) the first listing of a case to completion of that case in the magistrates court
	(b) the overall period from offence to completion of a criminal case in the magistrates court.
	The figures are from the Time Intervals Survey (TIS) and are based on defendants (adults and youths) in all criminal cases that were proceeded against in the magistrates courts.
	The Government established the Criminal Justice Simple Speedy Summary Justice (CJSSS) programme to improve the speed and effectiveness with which cases proceed through the criminal courts. A key part of this programme aims to improve the way cases proceed in the magistrates courts. Following successful tests (with evidence of more offenders pleading guilty at an early stage, fewer hearings and the majority of trials for contested cases being set within 6-10 weeks), national implementation is firmly under way throughout England and Wales. CJSSS is now running in at least one site in each of the 36 local criminal justice areas and fully implemented in all magistrates courts in 11 of those areas. Implementation is expected to be completed in all but a handful of magistrates courts by December 2007. Once fully implemented these changes should deliver a step change in the public's experience of the justice system, improving the speed and effectiveness of magistrates courts.
	
		
			  Average time taken between date of offence to first listing and first listing to completion for all defendants (adult and youth) in completed criminal cases in magistrates courts—England and Wales, 2001 to 2006 
			   Average number of days from offence to first listing  Margin of error (+/-  days)  Average number of days from first listing to completion in magistrates court  Margin of error (+/- days)  Average number of days from offence to completion in magistrates court  Margin of error (+/- days)  Sample size (number of defendants) 
			  (a) All criminal offences   
			 2001 104 1 33 1 138 1 58,653 
			 2002 109 1 33 1 142 1 63,008 
			 2003 112 1 32 1 144 1 66,835 
			 2004 114 1 33 1 147 1 65,578 
			 2005 118 1 31 1 149 1 63,153 
			 2006 117 1 31 1 148 1 60,200 
			  (b) Summary non motoring offences( 1)  
			 2001 111 1 21 1 132 2 16,131 
			 2002 122 2 20 1 142 2 18,483 
			 2003 121 1 21 1 142 2 18,524 
			 2004 114 1 26 1 140 2 17,473 
			 2005 123 2 24 1 148 2 18,825 
			 2006 122 2 24 1 146 2 18,976 
			 (1) Includes common assault, assault on a constable, offences against Public Order and Education Act offences.  Notes: 1. Results are based on proceedings in one sample week in March and September. The Time Intervals Survey (TIS) is a sample survey that produces estimates of the average time taken between stages of proceedings for defendants in completed criminal cases in magistrates courts. More information on TIS is available on the Ministry of Justice website. 2. The margin of error is a measure of the precision of a result based on a sample survey. Timeliness in magistrates courts is measured using data from a sample of the total number of defendants. The sample provides one estimate of the average time taken and different samples would produce different average times. The true value is likely to fall within the range of the sample result +/- the margin of error. 3. "First listing" refers to the first listed hearing of the case in the magistrates court. 4. It is not totally clear which "assault" cases are being referred to in the question. Information on broad offence group is collected in TIS although not at a level that would make it possible to provide estimates for defendants proceeded against for assault crimes separately. The offence classifications are as follows: burglary, criminal damage, drunken driving, drug offences, driving without due care, fraud and forgery, failing to stop, indictable motoring offences, other summary motoring offences, robbery, sexual offences, summary non-motoring offences, theft and handling stolen goods, violence against the person, other indictable offences (excluding motoring offences). Information is not available in TIS at individual offence level. Assault offences are classified in several different offence groups. In addition to timeliness of all criminal cases, timeliness figures have been provided for one of the offence groups ('summary non-motoring offences') as it was thought this might be helpful. The 'summary non-motoring offences' group includes the offences common assault, and assault on a constable, which were thought to be the most relevant offences to answer this question. Please note that in addition to the assault offences, the summary non-motoring offence group also includes a wide variety of other offences such as offences against Public Order and Education Act offences. In addition, certain other forms of assault (e.g. sexual assaults and assault with intent to rob) are counted in other offence groups and will not be included in the table. 5. Results have been provided for all years since 2001. It is not possible to provide consistent data for earlier years owing to methodological changes.  Source: Time Intervals Survey, Ministry of Justice

Crime: Lancashire

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent change there has been in the level of recorded crimes in  (a) Chorley and  (b) Lancashire, broken down by type of crime.

Tony McNulty: The most recent information for Chorley Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership (CDRP) and Lancashire police force area is given in following the table.
	
		
			  Recorded crime by offence group and percentage change. 2005-06 to 2006-07 
			   Chorley CDRP  Lancashire police force area 
			  Offence group  Offences recorded 2005-06  Offences recorded 2006-07  Percentage change 2005-06 to 2006-07  Offences recorded 2005-06  Offences recorded 2006-07  Percentage change 2005-06 to 2006-07 
			 Total crime 7,269 7,147 -2 142,229 135,837 -4 
			 Violence against the person 1,489 1,460 -2 28,841 26,791 -7 
			 Sexual offences 65 86 32 1,505 1,461 -3 
			 Robbery 22 29 32 1,021 1,014 -1 
			 Burglary 767 796 4 14,629 14,531 -1 
			 Offences against vehicles 971 796 -18 16,263 16,552 2 
			 Other theft offences 1,400 1,545 10 29,354 28,584 -3 
			 Fraud and forgery 302 242 -20 5,524 3,976 -28 
			 Criminal damage 1,938 1,752 -10 40,110 37,804 -6 
			 Drug offences 230 338 47 3,245 3,301 2 
			 Other offences 85 103 21 1,737 1,823 5

Crimes Against Property: Business

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will make it a requirement that crime against business is recorded as a separate category in official statistics; and if she will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: The current recorded crime offence classification series does differentiate between robbery of personal property and robbery of business property, and also between domestic burglary and that of burglary in a building other than a dwelling. However, these categories will only represent some of the crimes against business which are recorded by the police. Offences of theft by an employee and fraud by company director are also included within the series.
	The feasibility of police forces flagging commercial burglary offences is being examined as part of the regular annual data requirement review process by the Home Office and ACPO. These data are to be provided under a pilot scheme using a new crime recording system which is currently being developed in the Home Office. It will enable a richer range of data to be collected from police forces. The feasibility of measuring crime against business will be examined during 2008-09.

Departments: Civil Service Agencies

Oliver Letwin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will list her Department's  (a) executive agencies,  (b) executive non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs),  (c) advisory NDPBs,  (d) tribunal NDPBs,  (e) trading funds and  (f) public corporations in each financial year since 2005-06.

Liam Byrne: The 2005-06 list of  (a) executive agencies,  (b) executive non-department public bodies (NDPBs),  (c) advisory NDPBs,  (d) tribunal NDPBs,  (e) trading funds and  (f) public corporations can be found in the publication Public Bodies 2006 at:
	wwww.civilservice.gov.uk.
	The 2006-07 list of  (a) executive agencies,  (b) executive non-department public bodies (NDPBs),  (c) advisory NDPBs,  (d) tribunal NDPBs,  (e) trading funds and  (f) public corporation will be published shortly on the Home Office website.

Departments: General Elections

Daniel Rogerson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what contingency preparations her Department made for the possibility of a general election in autumn 2007; and what the costs of those preparations were.

Tony McNulty: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office on 16 October 2007,  Official, Report , column 823W.

Departments: Internet

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many hits the  (a) most popular and  (b) the least popular website run by her Department has received since 1 January 2007.

Liam Byrne: Of all of the Home Office websites managed by the core Home Office web team, the main Home Office site (www.homeoffice.gov.uk) is the most popular, with 5,025,514 visits since January 2007 and 3,380,390 unique visitors (as at September 2007). The least popular site (by means of visitor numbers) is the website of the Technical Advisory Board (www.technicaladvisory board.org.uk), one of the Home Office advisory bodies. At September 2007, it had received 324 visits and 265 unique visitors since January 2007. This website is currently being migrated into the Home Office corporate website as part of our Transformational Government work.

Fibre Optics: Mitcheldean

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what purpose her Department requires fibre optic cables to be laid in Mitcheldean, Gloucestershire; and if she will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: holding answer 15 October 2007
	On the basis of the information provided, it has not been possible to ascertain whether the works identified by the hon. Gentleman are connected to the Home Office. If the hon. Gentleman could provide any further information that might be at his disposal, I would be more than willing to review the matter again.

Hampshire Constabulary: Firearms

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many times police have been issued firearms in Hampshire in each of the last five years.

Tony McNulty: I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 11 October 2007,  Official Report, column 718W.

Immigration and Nationality Directorate: Correspondence

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many and what proportion of letters sent by hon. Members to the Immigration and Nationality Directorate in 2003 received a substantive reply within  (a) three,  (b) four,  (c) six,  (d) eight,  (e) 10 and  (f) more than 10 weeks; and if she will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: Figures on the length of time taken to reply to hon. Members' correspondence to the Immigration and Nationality Directorate received in 2003 are not available.

Immigration and Nationality Directorate: Correspondence

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many and what proportion of letters sent by hon. Members to the Immigration and Nationality Directorate in 2001 received a substantive reply within  (a) three,  (b) four,  (c) six,  (d) eight,  (e) 10 and  (f) more than 10 weeks; and if she will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: Figures on the length of time taken to reply to hon. Members' correspondence to the Immigration and Nationality Directorate received in 2001 are not available.

Immigration: Detainees

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average length of stay of detainees within the immigration detention estate was in each of the last five years.

Liam Byrne: Statistics on persons recorded as leaving detention solely under Immigration Act powers during 2005 and between January to September 2006 broken down by length of detention have been published in the "Asylum Statistics: United Kingdom 2005" and "Asylum Statistics: United Kingdom 2006" bulletins respectively. This information was first available for 2005 and is the latest period for which information is currently available.
	Snapshot details of people detained solely under Immigration Act powers for each of the last five years are also published in this series of bulletins. Immigration Research and Statistics plans to start publishing statistics on all persons recorded as leaving detention solely under Immigration Act powers again (and full details on length of detention) as soon as the data quality problems associated with the new administrative system have been resolved.
	We do not publish an average length of stay in detention since this would be potentially misleading and could easily be skewed by a small number of cases in the upper range.
	Copies of these publications are available from the Library of the House and from the Home Office's Research, Development and Statistics website at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html.

Lancashire Constabulary: Community Support Officers

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police community support officers are deployed in Lancashire.

Tony McNulty: At 31 March 2007, Lancashire Constabulary had 374 PCSOs in post.

Members: Correspondence

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she will reply to the letter of 30 August from the hon. Member for Edinburgh West in relation to his constituent Mr. Nader El-Reah Almutbage.

Liam Byrne: holding answer 27 September 2007
	A reply was despatched on 27 September 2007.

Members: Correspondence

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the Parliamentary Business Unit of the Immigration and Nationality Department will reply to the letters of  (a) 25 June,  (b) 31 July and  (c) 11 September from the hon. Member for Edinburgh West on his constituent Mr. Abdul Rashid Abdullah.

Liam Byrne: The Border and Immigration Agency replied to the hon. Member on 15 October 2007.

Members: Correspondence

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she will reply to the letter of 29 July from the hon. Member for Edinburgh West on his constituent Mr Denboba Natie.

Liam Byrne: The Border and Immigration Agency wrote to the hon. Member on 15 October 2007.

Metropolitan Police: Secondment

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers have been seconded to the Metropolitan police for counter-terrorism duties from regional police forces; and what the cost has been  (a) in total and  (b) for each regional police force concerned.

Tony McNulty: The requested information is not collected centrally in the police personnel statistics.
	The number of officers seconded to individual police forces is collected centrally, but the home force, reason for secondment and associated costs are not.

Office of Surveillance Commissioners: Valuation Office

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if the Office of Surveillance Commissioners will amend its inspection priorities to undertake a first inspection of  (a) the Valuation Office Agency and  (b) the Valuation and Lands Agency.

Tony McNulty: The Valuation Office Agency and the Valuation and Lands Agency do not carry out surveillance of individuals and do not operate covertly. Their officers always identify themselves when carrying out their duties.

Police Stations: CCTV

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many and what percentage of custody offices in police stations are equipped with fully functioning audio and visual CCTV in  (a) Lancashire and  (b) England and Wales.

Tony McNulty: holding answer 16 October 2007
	This is an operational matter for chief constables.

Police: Bournemouth

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what account is taken in the manning formula for Bournemouth police of the number of visitors to Bournemouth every weekend.

Tony McNulty: The deployment of police officers in Bournemouth at weekends is an operational matter for the chief constable of Dorset police.

Police: Bournemouth

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of funding for additional policing during the Labour party conference in Bournemouth was provided by the Government.

Tony McNulty: The Home Office provides special grant to police authorities to pay for the additional costs incurred on policing the two main annual party conferences.
	Dorset police submitted a bid of £4.5 million (revenue) plus £80,000 (capital) for the additional costs of policing the 2007 Labour party autumn conference, which was approved in full.

Police: Dogs

David Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many dog handlers were employed by North Wales Police on  (a) 31 December 2004,  (b) 31 December 2005,  (c) 31 December 2006 and  (d) the most recent date for which figures are available.

Tony McNulty: The information is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Police officers in North Wales whose primary function( 1)  is dogs, as at 31 March 2004 to 31 March 2007 (FTE)( 2) 
			   Number 
			 31 March 2004 12 
			 31 March 2005 15 
			 31 March 2006 11 
			 31 March 2007 12 
			 (1) Staff with multiple responsibilities (or designations) are recorded under their primary role or function. The deployment of police officers is an operational matter for individual chief constables. (2) Full-time equivalent figures that have been rounded to the nearest whole number. This figure includes those officers on career breaks or maternity/paternity leave.

Police: Finance

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps she is taking to address geographical disparities in police funding.

Tony McNulty: holding answer 16 October 2007
	The Police Service in England and Wales has benefited from a significant increase in resources over a sustained period.
	Government funding for police authorities is chiefly allocated using a funding formula that distributes resources on the basis of relative needs and resources. A damping mechanism is subsequently applied to protect all authorities against financial instability which ensures that all authorities receive an increase in grant at least equal to the "floor" level on a like-for-like basis year-on-year.
	The Home Office will announce a Provisional Finance Settlement for the police for the CSR years, 2008-09 to 2010-11, in late November/early December as in previous years which will take account of responses to the recent consultation exercise on local government formula grant distribution.

Police: Finance

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the outcome was of the meeting at Heathrow on 30 July of police and their oversight bodies from around the UK and representatives of her Department and the Department for Transport to discuss a common approach to police-industry service agreements covering security, resourcing and costs.

Tony McNulty: The meeting that took place on 30 July 2007 was arranged by the Metropolitan Police Authority for an invited audience of police authorities and police forces to discuss progress on the implementation of the provisions of the Civil Aviation Act 2006. The Act requires the airport operator and police at designated airports to agree a Police Services Agreement, which must be in place by 7 November 2007. Attendees shared with each other the progress that had been made in their local negotiations with airport operators and what further work may be needed to reach agreement.

Policing: Luton Airport

Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will take steps to assist Bedfordshire police with the costs of policing London Luton airport following Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary 2006-07 assessments.

Tony McNulty: holding answer 16 October 2007
	Luton airport is not a designated airport and as such the airport operator is not required, by law, to pay for the policing of the airport.
	Bedfordshire Police Authority has been receiving substantial financial assistance for the policing of Luton airport for a number of years.
	The system of designation and the cost of policing airports was raised in the Independent Review of Airport Policing 2006. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport and I are currently reviewing the process to enable the recovery of associated policing costs from airport operators.

Resettlement: Iraq

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what plans the Government has to assist Iraqis who wish to enter Great Britain and claim asylum, with particular reference to those who have worked in Iraq for the British Army;
	(2)  what measures the Government plans to put in place to help Iraqi interpreters who have worked for the British Army to claim asylum in the UK;
	(3)  if the Government will set up a website with instructions on claiming asylum in the UK aimed at Iraqis who have been employed by the British Army.

Liam Byrne: holding answer 17 October 2007
	The Foreign Secretary announced in his written ministerial statement of 9 October the assistance that would be made available to help Iraqis employed by the Government in Iraq.
	The statement also promised that we will announce further details, including on how eligible staff may apply, before the end of the month.

Surveillance: Local Authorities

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance the Office of Surveillance Commissioners has provided to local authorities on surveillance in relation to  (a) the public smoking ban and  (b) rubbish collection and waste disposal; and how many inspections of local authorities have taken place in relation to each.

Tony McNulty: The Office of Surveillance Commissioners has not given specific guidance to local authorities and does not undertake thematic inspections of surveillance relating to specific investigative activity. Inspections conducted on behalf of the Chief Surveillance Commissioner are not designed to provide guidance but to review performance, although specific scenarios may have been addressed during inspections.

Surveillance: Local Authorities

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of the local authorities inspected by the Office of Surveillance Commissioners in 2006-07 used surveillance for  (a) enforcement of the public smoking ban,  (b) tackling fly-tipping and  (c) other issues relating to waste collection and disposal.

Tony McNulty: The Office of Surveillance Commissioners does not break down its reports to reflect the specific purposes for which the conduct of surveillance is undertaken.

Terrorism Act 2000

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department where information gathered under Schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act 2000 is stored.

Tony McNulty: Any information that may be retained as a result of a Schedule 7 examination is stored by the local constabulary covering the port concerned and may be shared with other police forces and Government agencies.
	In terms of numbers of occasions when stops are made under Schedule 7, the relevant codes of practice advise that all Schedule 7 examinations lasting longer than one hour are recorded centrally and that examinations of shorter duration are recorded locally. There is no centrally held information about the number of stops made by police officers lasting less than one hour.

Terrorism Act 2000: Freedom of Information

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the process is by which an individual can apply for access to information gathered about them under Schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act 2000.

Tony McNulty: Any individual can apply for access to information gathered about them by contacting the local constabulary for the port concerned. Access details for the constabularies can be found on their websites.

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Commission for Equality and Human Rights: Finance

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the projected budget is for the new Commission for Equality and Human Rights in its first full year of operation.

Barbara Follett: I have been asked to reply.
	It is anticipated that the budget for the Equality and Human Rights Commission will be around £70 million which meets ministerial expectations.

Commission for Equality and Human Rights: Finance

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the budget of the  (a) Commission for Racial Equality,  (b) Equal Opportunities Commission and  (c) Disability Rights Commission was in the most recent year for which figures are available.

Barbara Follett: I have been asked to reply.
	The following table shows the resource and capital budgets on an annual basis for the Disability Rights Commission, Equal Opportunities Commission and Commission for Racial Equality.
	
		
			  Organisation  Resource Budget for financial year 2007-08 (expressed as annual figure) (£ 000 ) 
			 Disability Rights Commission 20,100 
			 Equal Opportunities Commission 8,020 
			 Commission for Racial Equality 19,392 
		
	
	
		
			  Organisation  Capital Budget for financial year 2007-08 (expressed as annual figure) (£ 000 ) 
			 Commission for Racial Equality 750

Commission for Equality and Human Rights: Redundancy

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much has been allocated for redundancy and severance payments to staff members of the  (a) Equal Opportunities Commission,  (b) Disability Rights Commission and  (c) Commission for Racial Equality as part of the creation of the Commission for Equality and Human Rights.

Barbara Follett: I have been asked to reply.
	No staff were made redundant. However, the cost of the voluntary severance scheme, excluding the ongoing costs of annual compensation payments (ACP) for people over age 50, is expected to be as follows: CRE cost £3,839,617; DRC cost £1,884,707 and the EOC cost £1,780,364.

Departments: Official Visits

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government on how many occasions she has visited each region in an official capacity in the last 12 months.

Parmjit Dhanda: Since joining the Department in June 2007, the Secretary of State has visited the following regions: the West Midlands (1), the North-West (6), the North-East (2), the South East (1) and has made numerous visits within London. The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government plans to visit the remaining regions as soon as diary engagements permit her to do so.
	All ministerial travel is undertaken in accordance with the Ministerial Code.

Housing: Grants

Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which  (a) local authorities and  (b) arm's length management organisations have been granted approval to bid for Government grants to build new homes; on what dates the respective approvals were made; and what discussions she and the Minister for Housing have had with Welsh Assembly Government Ministers on extension of permissions to local authorities in Wales to bid for new housing grants.

Iain Wright: The Housing Corporation announced on 23 July that eight arm's length management organisations (ALMOs) and two local authority special purpose vehicles had pre-qualified as investment partners for the 2008-11 affordable housing programme and moved to the next stage of the bidding process.
	The ALMOs named by the Corporation were Ashfield Homes, Brent Housing Partnership, City West Homes, Derby Homes, Hillingdon Homes, Hounslow Homes, Kirklees Neighbourhood Housing, and Sheffield Homes. The two local authorities were Knowsley metropolitan borough council and Norwich city council. Not all of these organisations will necessarily go on to bid or be successful in their bid. In particular, Hillingdon Homes recently failed to achieve 3 star status following its Audit Commission inspection and has been disapplied from bidding this autumn. Hillingdon will however have an opportunity to consider a new bid next year as a 2 star ALMO under the Corporation's revised criteria.
	The Housing Corporation is responsible for the funding of development schemes in England. The Welsh Assembly Government is responsible for funding decisions for social housing in Wales.

Housing: Immigration

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when she expects to complete her review of the impact of immigration on  (a) new house build and  (b) previously-occupied housing.

Parmjit Dhanda: The Department has no plans to undertake a review of this nature. However, we do publish household growth projections, which form part of the evidence base for decisions on planning for housing, and which take into account data on past and projected migration trends. The latest household projections were published as 'New Projections of Households for England and the Regions to 2029' on 16 March 2007, on the Communities and Local Government website. The Department continues to consider the impacts of migration on a range of services and policies—including housing—through the Migration Impacts Forum.

Waste Management

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what representations she has received on the existence of separate collection and disposal authorities within county council areas and the adoption of a strategic approach to waste management across the whole county council area.

Joan Ruddock: I have been asked to reply.
	The division of responsibilities between the waste disposal and collection authorities in two-tier areas can make sustainable waste management more challenging. Authorities in such areas have a statutory obligation to draw up joint municipal waste management strategies, subject to certain exemptions. These strategies help to encourage and deliver a strategic approach to waste management in two-tier areas.
	A report on "Joint Working in Wastes Management(1)" by the Innovation Forum (a group of high-performing authorities) highlighted the benefits of joint working in two-tier areas, citing possible efficiency savings of around £150 million nationally. The report identified the limited legal basis for joint working arrangements as a key barrier to establishing such arrangements. In response to this, the Government have introduced powers in the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Bill which will allow the establishment of joint waste authorities.
	(1) http://www.idea.gov.uk/idk/aio/4821783

DEFENCE

Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how fuel is transported into theatre in  (a) Afghanistan and  (b) Iraq.

Bob Ainsworth: I am withholding details of specific routes of supply as the release of information would, or would be likely to, prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the armed forces.

Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations

Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the contribution made to greenhouse gas emissions of the deployment of British military forces in  (a) Afghanistan and  (b) Iraq.

Derek Twigg: Based upon the available data for quantities of aviation and ground fuel supplied in the operational theatres, it is estimated that the average carbon dioxide emissions directly attributable to the deployment of British military forces in Afghanistan and Iraq totalled approximately 250,000 tonnes and 200,000 tonnes respectively for any 12-month period during 2005-07. This can be compared to the MOD's total carbon dioxide emissions (from its estate and non-operational activities such as training) of approximately 5.5 million tonnes per annum and the UK's national emissions of approximately 560 million tonnes per annum in the same period. Data on operational emissions of other greenhouse gases are not currently collated.

Aircraft Carriers: Procurement

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what changes are proposed to the numbers of  (a) destroyers and  (b) frigates in consequence of the ordering of the two future aircraft carriers.

Bob Ainsworth: holding answer 15 October 2007
	The defence programme is kept under regular review. No decision has been made to change the number of destroyers or frigates.

Armed Forces: Housing

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what protection is given to British military personnel from indirect fire in their living quarters.

Bob Ainsworth: Indirect fire (IDF) is a serious threat which we seek to counter using a layered approach to force protection. This includes the use of hardened infrastructure, security patrols, intelligence gathering, counter measures and, where appropriate, both reactive and proactive strikes against enemy IDF capabilities. It is, however, impossible entirely to eliminate the risks from IDF attacks.
	I am withholding details of force protection arrangements in Iraq and Afghanistan as their release would be likely to prejudice the safety or security of our armed forces.

Defence: Inflation

Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the National Statistics Quality Review of Ministry of Defence Finance and Economic Statistics Implementation Plan, what progress his Department has made in creating a defence-specific inflation index; and if he will place a copy in the Library.

Bob Ainsworth: Work on developing a Defence related price index commenced in 2004-05 and has continued since. Unfortunately, despite commitment by both the Office for National Statistics and Defence Analytical Services Agency (DASA), work has as yet failed to produce a defence specific inflation index.
	Matching the companies, to which MOD has made payments, with Office for National Statistics data has been difficult due to changes in names, ownership, recording of information and ONS data on prices being from a sample survey. Less than 20 per cent. of companies paid more than £1 million by MOD in 2002-03 could be matched to price data, which accounted for less than 30 per cent. of MOD spend. Confining analysis to the subset of Defence problems further decreases this already poor coverage causing any estimates of defence inflation to be unreliable and biased.
	Using published indices for MOD purchases of goods and services, and indeed the underlying data for these indices also presents a variety of problems. Price changes collected by ONS represent off the shelf products whereas the large value goods that MOD buys tend to be bespoke systems. Quality adjustment of price indices is appropriate for determining change in value, but not for the replacement costs that MOD faces. It is difficult to incorporate overseas expenditure. Indices used in placing contracts frequently do not reflect the expenditure patterns of the MOD.
	Work continues to overcome these challenges.

Departments: Departmental Expenditure Limits

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the request for resources 1  (a) direct resource departmental expenditure limit (DEL),  (b) indirect resource DEL and  (c) capital DEL forecast control totals are for each of his Department's top level budget holders in each of the years 2008-09 to 2010-11.

Bob Ainsworth: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 10 October 2007,  Official Report, column 636W, to the hon. Member for Aldershot (Mr. Howarth).

Departments: General Election

Daniel Rogerson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what contingency preparations his Department made for the possibility of a general election in autumn 2007; and what the costs were of those preparations.

Des Browne: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him on 15 October 2007,  Official Report, column 823W, by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.

Iraq: Peacekeeping Operations

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he was first told that the Prime Minister would be announcing troop withdrawals during his visit to Iraq.

Des Browne: holding answer 15 October 2007
	In preparing for the Prime Minister's visit, I discussed with him all aspects of our future policy in Iraq including troop withdrawals.

Iraq: Peacekeeping Operations

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence at what bases UK forces are stationed in Iraq; and what measures are in place in each such base to prevent death or injury from rocket attack.

Des Browne: The precise area of deployment of UK forces in Iraq can and does vary according to the operational circumstances. The vast majority of UK forces are based at the Contingency Operating Base at Basra airport. UK forces are also present in much smaller numbers at a number of other locations in Iraq, including in Baghdad and Dhi Qar province.
	I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 12 September 2007,  Official Report, column 2072, to the hon. Member for The Wrekin (Mark Pritchard) about force protection.

Navy

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what long-term capacity the Royal Navy will retain in respect of  (a) minehunters and  (b) patrol vessels.

Bob Ainsworth: holding answer 15 October 2007
	While the defence programme is kept under regular review, the July 2004 White Paper "Delivering Security in a Changing World - Future Capabilities" (CM6269) explained that we plan to retain a fleet of 16 mine counter measure vessels. We also intend to maintain a balanced fleet of patrol vessels to fulfil a variety of commitments in home waters and overseas.

Peacekeeping Operations

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many individuals  (a) captured and  (b) killed by British Forces in (i) Iraq and (ii) Afghanistan since 2001 have been of Iranian nationality.

Bob Ainsworth: The Ministry of Defence does not maintain records on the nationality of individuals killed in engagements involving UK forces in Iraq or Afghanistan.
	As far as we can determine, no Iranian nationals have been processed at the Divisional Internment Facility or its predecessor, the Divisional Temporary Detention Facility, since the latter was established in December 2003. However, most individuals logged in our records do not have their nationality recorded, primarily because this is not always readily attainable and verifiable. Our records indicate that five Iranian nationals were captured and released by UK forces in Iraq prior to December 2003.
	Individuals captured by UK forces in Afghanistan are held only temporarily before being either released or passed to the Afghan authorities. We do not routinely maintain records on nationality in these cases.

Peacekeeping Operations

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the average number of days for Relief in Place operations between each roulement to  (a) Afghanistan and  (b) Iraq was in each year since 2001.

Bob Ainsworth: In Afghanistan, large-scale Relief in Place operations were not conducted prior to the start of Herrick IV in 2006. The average number of days for subsequent Relief in Place operations in 2006 was 55 days.
	In Iraq, the average number of days for Relief in Place operations after the initial deployment of 2003 was as follows:
	
		
			   Days 
			 2003 36 
			 2004 46 
			 2005 46 
			 2006 49 
		
	
	Roulements for 2007 are not yet complete, but the proposed timelines suggest that the average will be 47 days and 36 days for Afghanistan and Iraq respectively.

Salisbury Plain: Hunting

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether trail and drag hunting is permitted on the Salisbury Plain Training Area.

Derek Twigg: Hunts and beagle packs that have traditionally hunted over defence land are permitted to trail and drag hunt on the defence estate, including Salisbury Plain, subject to the issue of an appropriate licence. However, trail and drag hunting activities cannot currently take place on Ministry of Defence land due to the foot and mouth outbreak, as part of measures implemented by DEFRA to control the spread of the disease.

Submarines: Procurement

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what timeline he expects for the future submarine programme, including the dates for  (a) high level design specification,  (b) design matures,  (c) long leads,  (d) start of construction,  (e) nuclear power plant trials and  (f) sea trials.

Des Browne: The Future Submarine Programme is required to deliver a new submarine in around 2024, which is the forecast date for entry into service of the first of the new class. The timetable to achieve this comprises a two-year concept phase, a seven-year design phase, a seven-year build phase and a period of sea trials. Work on the concept phase is now under way and dates for various aspects of the programme are under consideration as part of this work. As stated in my answer of 26 July 2007,  Official Report, column 1252W, to the hon. Member for Meirionnydd Nant Conwy (Mr. Llwyd), we currently expect to reach the Initial Gate approval point in 2009. This will signify the end of the concept phase.

War Pensions

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence in which areas of the world members of the merchant marine who qualify for a war pension served.

Derek Twigg: This information is not available in the form requested. The Mercantile Marine scheme provides for awards to be made to members of the mercantile marine who have sustained injuries whilst serving during conflict and war. The scheme dates from the second world war and in addition to that war the scheme applied in principle to members of the mercantile marine involved in the Korean war, the Suez crisis, the Falklands conflict and the first Gulf conflict.

Wind Power: Planning Permission

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what objections his Department made to wind farm planning applications in each of the last two years.

Derek Twigg: The Ministry of Defence has objected to a total of 21 planning applications since October 2005.

WOMEN AND EQUALITY

Discrimination Law Review

Jo Swinson: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality when the Government plan to publish their response to the consultation on the Discrimination Law Review Green Paper.

Barbara Follett: holding answer 15 October 2007
	We were pleased with the substantial response to the consultation—more than 4,000 replies. I will be considering the Government's response with colleagues and plan to publish it as soon as possible.

Equality

Jo Swinson: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality what the Government's definition is of equality.

Barbara Follett: The Government's vision of an equal society is one where there is opportunity for all and responsibility from all, regardless of age, disability, gender, race, religion or belief or sexual orientation. In such a society all people should have the opportunity to fulfil their potential and the talents of each should contribute to the well being of all.

Equality

Jo Swinson: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality when the Government plan to publish their Single Equality Bill.

Barbara Follett: holding answer 15 October 2007
	The responses to the consultation on proposals for a new Equality Bill are currently being considered. We remain committed to introducing the Act during this Parliament.

Equality and Human Rights Commission: Buildings

Theresa May: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality what the addresses were of each of the premises occupied by the  (a) Commission for Racial Equality,  (b) Disability Rights Commission and  (c) Equal Opportunities Commission prior to the establishment of the Equality and Human Rights Commission.

Barbara Follett: The information is as follows.
	
		
			  Legacy Commission operating locations 
			   Addresses 
			  Commission for Racial Equality  
			 Manchester 5th floor, Arndale House, The Arndale Centre, Manchester, M4 3AQ 
			 London St. Dunstan's House, 201-211 Borough High Street London, SE1 1GZ 
			 Birmingham 3rd floor, Lancaster House, 67 Newhall Street, Birmingham B3 1NA 
			 Edinburgh 2nd Floor, The Tun, 4 Jacksons Entry, off Holyrood Road, Edinburgh, EH8 8PJ 
			 Cardiff 3rd floor, Capital Tower, Greyfriars Road, Cardiff CF1 3AG 
			   
			  CRE regional hubs  
			 London 4th Floor, St. Dunstan's House, London, SE1 1GZ 
			 Newcastle Government Office for the North East, City Gate, Gallowgate, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 4WH 
			 Leeds Government Office for Yorkshire and Humber, Lateral, 8 City Walk, Leeds, LS11 9AT 
			 Nottingham Government Office for the East Midlands, The Belgrave Centre, Stanley Place, Talbot Street, Nottingham, NG1 5GG 
			 Cambridge Government Office for the East of England, Eastbrook, Shaftesbury Road, Cambridge, CB2 2DF 
			 Guildford Government Office for the South East, Bridge House, 1 Walnut Tree Close, Guildford, GU1 4GA 
			 Bristol Government Office for the South West, 2 Rivergate, Temple Quay, Bristol, BS1 6EH 
			   
			  Disability Rights Commission  
			 Manchester 2nd and 3rd floors, Arndale House, The Arndale Centre, Manchester, M4 3AQ 
			 London Fox Court, Gray's Inn Road, London, WCIX 8HN 
			 Edinburgh 1st Floor Riverside House, Edinburgh, EH11 3AF 
			 Cardiff Ground Floor (Unit 5), Ty-nant Court, Cardiff, CR15 8LW 
			 Bangor Bangor House, Bangor, LL57 1LH 
			   
			  Equal Opportunities Commission  
			 Manchester 4th and 5th floors, Arndale House, The Arndale Centre, Manchester, M4 3AQ 
			 London 36 Broadway, London, SW1H OXH 
			 Glasgow St. Stephens House, 279 Bath Street, Glasgow, G2 4JL 
			 Cardiff Windsor House, Windsor Lane Cardiff CF10 3GE

Equality and Human Rights Commission: Buildings

Theresa May: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality what the addresses are of each of the premises occupied by the establishment of the Equality and Human Rights Commission.

Barbara Follett: The information is as follows.
	
		
			   Address es 
			 Manchester Arndale House, The Arndale Centre, Manchester, M4 3AQ 
			  Lowry House, Spring Gardens, Manchester M2 3AW. (Temporary accommodation until relocation to 5th floor, Arndale House—November 2007) 
			   
			 London 3 More London, Riverside, Tooley Street SE1 2RG 
			  Kingsgate House, 66-74 Victoria Street, London SW1E 6SW. (Temporary accommodation until relocation to 3 More London—November 2007) 
			   
			 Cardiff 1st Floor, 3 Callaghan Square, Cardiff CF10 5BT 
			  3rd floor, Capital Tower, Greyfriars Road, Cardiff CF1 3AG. (Temporary accommodation until relocation to 3 Callaghan Square—December 2007). Plus a satellite office located in Bangor 
			   
			 Glasgow The Optima Building, 58 Robertson Street, Glasgow, G2 8DU 
			  St. Stephens House, 279 Bath Street, Glasgow, G2 4JL. (Temporary accommodation until relocation to the Optima Building—December 2007) 
			   
			 Edinburgh The Tun, 4 Jacksons Entry, off Holyrood Road, Edinburgh, EH8 8PJ (co-locating with Scottish Enterprise) 
			   
			 Birmingham 3rd floor, Lancaster House, 67 Newhall Street, Birmingham B3 1NA 
		
	
	
		
			  English regional hubs 
			   Addresses 
			 London Fifth Floor, 151 Buckingham Palace Road, London SW1W 9SZ 
			 Newcastle Government Office for the North East, City Gate, Gallowgate, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 4WH 
			 Leeds Government Office for Yorkshire and Humber, Lateral, 8 City Walk, Leeds, LS11 9AT 
			 Nottingham Government Office for the East Midlands, The Belgrave Centre, Stanley Place, Talbot Street, Nottingham, NG1 5GG 
			 Cambridge Government Office for the East of England, Eastbrook, Shaftesbury Road, Cambridge, CB2 2DF 
			 Guildford Government Office for the South East, Bridge House, 1 Walnut Tree Close, Guildford, GU1 4GA 
			 Bristol Government Office for the South West, 2 Rivergate, Temple Quay, Bristol, BS1 6EH

Equality and Human Rights Commission: Finance

Theresa May: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality what the total budgets were of the  (a) Commission for Racial Equality,  (b) Disability Rights Commission and  (c) Equal Opportunities Commission in the most recent period prior to the establishment of the Equality and Human Rights Commission.

Barbara Follett: The following tables show the resource and capital budgets on an annual basis for the Disability Rights Commission, Equal Opportunities Commission and Commission for Racial Equality.
	
		
			  £000 
			  Organisation  Resource budget for financial year 2007-8 (expressed as annual figure) 
			 Disability Rights Commission 20,100 
			 Equal Opportunities Commission 8,020 
			 Commission for Racial Equality 19,392 
		
	
	
		
			  £000 
			  Organisation  Capital budget for financial year 2007-8 (expressed as annual figure) 
			 Commission for Racial Equality 750

Equality and Human Rights Commission: Finance

Theresa May: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality what the annual budget of the Equality and Human Rights Commission is expected to be.

Barbara Follett: As stated in the explanatory notes to the Equality Bill, the estimate of the annual budget for the Equality and Human Rights Commission when it is fully operational is £70 million.

Equality and Human Rights Commission: Finance

Theresa May: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality what the total annual cost was of  (a) salaries,  (b) pension contributions and  (c) bonuses of staff employed by the (i) Commission for Racial Equality, (ii) Disability Rights Commission and (iii) Equal Opportunities Commission in the latest period available prior to the establishment of the Equality and Human Rights Commission.

Barbara Follett: We do not have the information available to give an accurate answer to this question at present. Salary information will be available following completion of the final accounts of the three Commissions.

Equality and Human Rights Commission: Redundancy

Theresa May: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality how much was spent on redundancy packages for staff employed by  (a) the Commission for Racial Equality,  (b) the Disability Rights Commission and  (c) the Equal Opportunities Commission prior to the establishment of the Equality and Human Rights Commission.

Barbara Follett: No staff were made redundant. However, the cost of the voluntary severance scheme, excluding the ongoing costs of annual compensation payments (ACP) for people over age 50, is expected to be as follows: CRE cost £3,839,617; DRC cost £1,884,707 and the EOC cost £1,780,364.

Flexible Working

Jo Swinson: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality what plans the Government has to extend the right to request flexible working to all employees.

Barbara Follett: The right to request flexible work has been a huge success—and in April this year we extended the right to carers of adults—that is another 2.65 million employees.
	In the recently published Priorities for the Ministers for Women Command Paper, I made a commitment to support the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform in considering whether to extend the right to request flexible work to parents of older children.

Refugees: Forced Prostitution

Harry Cohen: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities what assessment she has made of the extent and causes of Iraqi women and children who have become refugees being forced into prostitution; what action the UK Government are taking in this regard; and if she will make a statement.

Barbara Follett: The UK Government are concerned at reports, including from the UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), that some Iraqi refugee women and young girls have been forced to resort to prostitution and children forced into labour or other forms of exploitation to survive. We will continue to support the efforts of UNHCR, who are working closely with host country Governments to assess and address the needs of all Iraqi refugees.
	So far this year the UK Government have committed £15 million to support humanitarian agencies working in Iraq and the region , bringing our total humanitarian assistance for vulnerable Iraqis to over £130 million since 2003. We remain in close contact with our humanitarian partners to ensure they are adequately resourced to respond to needs on the ground.

JUSTICE

Alcoholic Drinks: Children

Helen Southworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will take steps to ensure that court hearings, including appeal hearings, relating to underage sales of alcohol are conducted promptly.

Maria Eagle: All cases, in both the magistrates court and appeals to the Crown court, are dealt with on their merits and are heard as quickly as possible. The Government's Criminal Justice Simple, Speedy, Summary (CJSSS) programme is under way to improve court processes in the magistrates courts to ensure that cases are dealt with as fairly and as quickly as possible. Early indications are that the programme will have a significant impact on eliminating unnecessary hearings and reducing the time from charge to disposal for adult charged cases. This should also allow summons cases such as underage sale of alcohol to be heard more quickly.

Arms Trade: Israel

James Arbuthnot: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether the Legal Services Commission is funding a case brought by Mr. Saleh Hassan against the UK Government in relation to Israeli policy in the West Bank.

Maria Eagle: Saleh Hasan is receiving legal aid to fund a judicial review of the British Government in relation to the granting of export licences for the sale of arms to Israel. Individual funding decisions are made by the Legal Services Commission in accordance with the Access to Justice Act 1999 and other documents laid before Parliament.

Coroners

Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what the oldest outstanding inquest is in each coroner's jurisdiction;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the average time taken to complete an inquest in England and Wales in each year since 2001, broken down by coroner's jurisdiction;
	(3)  how many inquests were pending before coroners in England and Wales at the end of each calendar year since 2001, broken down by coroner's jurisdiction.

Bridget Prentice: For the oldest outstanding inquest in each district, as at 31 December 2006, I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Cardiff, Central (Jenny Willott) on 25 July 2007,  Official Report, columns 1157-60W, in response to a similar question. More up-to-date information is not held centrally.
	The average time in weeks taken to complete an inquest in England and Wales, for each coroner's district, in each year since 2004 (the earliest year for which figures are available) is shown in the following tables.
	The number of inquests outstanding within each coroner's district as at 31 December 2006, and at the end of each calendar year since 2001 is shown in the following tables.
	
		
			  Annex A: Estimated average time to conduct an inquest, in weeks, by coroner's district 
			  Name of coroner's district  2004  2005  2006 
			 The Queen's Household n/a n/a n/a 
			 
			  North East
			 Darlington and South Durham 26 28 25 
			 North Durham 19 22 24 
			 Hartlepool U 15 17 
			 North Northumberland 21 25 25 
			 South Northumberland 20 18 17 
			 Teesside 35 28 28 
			 Gateshead and South Tyneside 24 22 24 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne 21 20 21 
			 North Tyneside 21 20 18 
			 Sunderland 23 15 19 
			 
			  North West
			 Cheshire 28 27 28 
			 North East Cumbria 32 32 30 
			 South Cumbria and Furness 16 18 21 
			 Western Cumbria 24 23 22 
			 Manchester city 29 33 33 
			 Manchester North 15 19 25 
			 Manchester South 31 27 23 
			 Manchester West 28 27 24 
			 Blackburn, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley 15 17 13 
			 Blackpool/Fylde 19 15 23 
			 East Lancashire 22 29 33 
			 Preston and West Lancashire 19 21 22 
			 Sefton, Knowsley and St. Helens 20 22 26 
			 Liverpool 10 10 10 
			 Wirral 16 16 16 
			 
			  Yorkshire and the Humber
			 East Riding and Hull 36 34 22 
			 North Lincolnshire and Grimsby 33 42 34 
			 York City 42 28 22 
			 North Yorkshire Eastern District 24 21 20 
			 North Yorkshire Western District 26 29 28 
			 South Yorkshire Eastern District 17 16 16 
			 South Yorkshire Western District 19 18 18 
			 West Yorkshire Eastern District 28 28 27 
			 West Yorkshire Western District 23 25 24 
			 
			  East Midlands
			 Derby and South Derbyshire 19 19 22 
			 North Derbyshire (formerly known as Scarsdale) 12 14 13 
			 Leicester city and South Leicestershire n/a 24 21 
			 Rutland and North Leicestershire 17 18 20 
			 Boston and Spalding 19 18 20 
			 West Lincolnshire 28 25 29 
			 Spilsby and Louth 19 24 17 
			 Stamford 21 19 24 
			 Northamptonshire 23 27 26 
			 Nottinghamshire 16 I3 I3 
			 
			  West Midlands
			 Herefordshire 28 20 33 
			 Mid and North Shropshire 21 26 23 
			 South Shropshire 22 31 35 
			 Staffordshire South n/a 21 23 
			 Stoke-on-Trent and North Staffordshire 18 17 18 
			 Telford and Wrekin 17 22 25 
			 Warwickshire 24 27 30 
			 Birmingham and Solihull 17 17 17 
			 Black Country 13 18 24 
			 Coventry 21 17 18 
			 Wolverhampton 18 21 22 
			 Worcestershire 14 16 16 
			 
			  East of England
			 Bedfordshire and Luton 18 15 20 
			 North and East Cambridgeshire 20 25 24 
			 South and West Cambridgeshire 16 19 17 
			 Essex and Thurrock 33 41 34 
			 Hertfordshire 19 19 22 
			 Great Yarmouth 15 28 15 
			 Norwich and Central Norfolk 20 22 23 
			 King's Lynn 11 12 14 
			 Peterborough 20 26 27 
			 Southend-on-Sea 15 21 n/a 
			 Suffolk 14 17 21 
			 
			  London
			 City of London 34 29 34 
			 East London n/a 26 34 
			 Inner North London 32 29 32 
			 Inner South London 27 25 21 
			 Inner West London 12 12 14 
			 North London 20 17 20 
			 South London 21 21 23 
			 West London 23 22 32 
			 
			  South East
			 Berkshire (former county) 16 19 21 
			 Brighton and Hove n/a 13 11 
			 Buckinghamshire 24 22 18 
			 East Sussex 25 27 25 
			 Central Hampshire 20 17 21 
			 North East Hampshire 12 12 13 
			 Portsmouth and South East Hampshire 29 41 42 
			 Southampton and New Forest 15 17 17 
			 Isle of Wight 35 45 32 
			 Central and South East Kent 25 27 30 
			 Mid Kent and Medway 26 28 27 
			 North East Kent 20 17 24 
			 North West Kent 19 21 22 
			 Milton Keynes 12 17 19 
			 Oxfordshire 39 38 46 
			 Surrey 23 28 25 
			 West Sussex 14 14 15 
			 
			  South West
			 Avon (former county) 20 26 29 
			 Cornwall 27 29 35 
			 Exeter and Greater Devon 23 21 26 
			 Plymouth and South West Devon 18 17 26 
			 Torbay and South Devon 23 20 21 
			 Bournemouth Poole and Eastern Dorset 15 14 12 
			 Western Dorset 23 19 20 
			 Gloucestershire 25 25 28 
			 Isles of Scilly 9 20 9 
			 Eastern Somerset 23 28 23 
			 Western Somerset 18 19 25 
			 Wiltshire and Swindon 32 33 35 
			 
			  Wales
			 Bridgend and Glamorgan Valleys 27 30 35 
			 Cardiff and Vale of Glamorgan 34 33 40 
			 Carmarthenshire 13 12 16 
			 Central North Wales 25 21 20 
			 Ceredigion 28 23 11 
			 Gwent 19 11 19 
			 Neath and Port Talbot 18 24 29 
			 North East Wales 28 24 23 
			 North West Wales 27 27 24 
			 Pembrokeshire 18 19 23 
			 Powys 19 23 22 
			 City and County of Swansea 33 36 43 
			 
			 Overall average, England and Wales (weeks) 22 23 24 
			 n/a = Not available. 
		
	
	
		
			  Annex B: Number of inquests outstanding at the end of each year, by coroner's district 
			  Name of coroner's district  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006 
			 The Queen's Household 1 1 1 1 1 1 
			
			  North East   
			 Darlington and South Durham 72 62 28 53 40 64 
			 North Durham 41 38 34 109 77 120 
			 Hartlepool 32 17 12 16 12 13 
			 North Northumberland 25 36 68 70 65 83 
			 South Northumberland 47 48 48 32 61 48 
			 Teesside 269 310 239 169 191 184 
			 Gateshead and South Tyneside 11 50 69 60 48 52 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne 98 147 122 138 132 147 
			 North Tyneside 123 129 113 51 68 61 
			 Sunderland 34 50 80 94 143 135 
			  North West   
			 Cheshire 257 235 239 281 286 327 
			 North East Cumbria 55 63 66 80 57 100 
			 South Cumbria and Furness(1) 31 42 8 44 35 54 
			 Western Cumbria 28 31 17 32 27 40 
			 Manchester city 168 100 181 195 172 368 
			 Manchester North 46 62 88 124 185 148 
			 Manchester South 350 245 290 289 134 241 
			 Manchester West 179 277 194 221 148 178 
			 Blackburn, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley 36 26 79 43 47 71 
			 Blackpool/Fylde 52 51 31 54 69 85 
			 East Lancashire 37 40 41 71 68 87 
			 Preston and West Lancashire(1) 69 67 74 149 170 60 
			 Sefton, Knowsley and St. Helens 129 80 114 120 110 164 
			 Liverpool 50 59 28 40 47 10 
			 Wirral 64 42 88 74 66 117 
			
			  Yorkshire and the Humber   
			 East Riding and Hull 72 132 137 137 113 88 
			 North Lincolnshire and Grimsby 39 36 53 116 73 96 
			 York City 37 30 55 69 38 44 
			 North Yorkshire Eastern District 55 55 60 43 28 39 
			 North Yorkshire Western District 95 49 47 59 70 59 
			 South Yorkshire Eastern District 116 67 80 63 67 114 
			 South Yorkshire Western District 126 88 124 80 88 140 
			 West Yorkshire Eastern District 312 354 290 274 278 307 
			 West Yorkshire Western District 216 212 197 202 168 273 
			
			  East Midlands   
			 Derby and South Derbyshire 88 39 61 57 55 74 
			 North Derbyshire (formerly known as Scarsdale)(1) 44 61 55 41 57 72 
			 Leicester city and South Leicestershire 195 211 186 118 138 341 
			 Rutland and North Leicestershire 47 49 67 42 64 69 
			 Boston and Spalding 25 14 30 30 29 18 
			 West Lincolnshire(1) 36 44 67 55 47 63 
			 Spilsby and Louth(1) 18 22 25 36 29 31 
			 Stamford 2 8 8 6 12 15 
			 Northamptonshire 95 126 91 108 134 172 
			 Nottinghamshire 93 153 150 103 58 98 
			
			  West Midlands   
			 Herefordshire 24 15 3 30 14 56 
			 Mid and North Shropshire 30 45 43 37 43 36 
			 South Shropshire 20 29 16 22 18 12 
			 Staffordshire South 132 121 131 76 103 133 
			 Stoke-on-Trent and North Staffordshire 58 71 115 157 102 169 
			 Telford and Wrekin 13 46 32 32 49 23 
			 Warwickshire 74 96 67 95 153 124 
			 Birmingham and Solihull 35 152 284 243 560 162 
			 Black Country(1) 113 123 148 154 65 155 
			 Coventry 31 38 46 45 45 98 
			 Wolverhampton 43 23 29 39 39 41 
			 Worcestershire 68 98 96 121 95 67 
			
			  East of England   
			 Bedfordshire and Luton 50 63 46 43 55 64 
			 North and East Cambridgeshire 28 22 29 28 17 26 
			 South and West Cambridgeshire 30 39 41 57 34 58 
			 Essex and Thurrock 158 177 171 274 214 321 
			 Hertfordshire(1) 149 167 69 88 118 51 
			 Great Yarmouth 10 17 14 5 4 12 
			 Norwich and Central Norfolk(1) 46 65 66 77 62 152 
			 King's Lynn 16 12 15 15 23 16 
			 Peterborough 37 18 24 35 39 46 
			 Southend-on-Sea 29 28 39 58 88 32 
			 Suffolk(1) 67 46 49 78 73 115 
			
			  London   
			 City of London 9 17 12 9 10 14 
			 East London 185 210 260 203 230 217 
			 Inner North London 275 283 253 219 284 399 
			 Inner South London 165 130 281 278 229 226 
			 Inner West London 123 106 56 85 84 142 
			 North London 238 154 199 171 177 210 
			 South London 88 102 112 110 102 141 
			 West London 33 187 197 188 221 272 
			
			  South East   
			 Berkshire (former county)(1) 60 50 32 51 89 90 
			 Brighton and Hove 32 24 23 31 28 29 
			 Buckinghamshire 48 68 57 45 12 34 
			 East Sussex 64 126 149 104 104 169 
			 Central Hampshire 49 37 44 24 39 81 
			 North East Hampshire 36 9 18 10 11 2 
			 Portsmouth and South East Hampshire 40 29 103 149 145 233 
			 Southampton and New Forest 34 39 47 52 40 38 
			 Isle of Wight 31 46 42 47 21 36 
			 Central and South East Kent(1) 59 46 61 84 91 98 
			 Mid Kent and Medway 84 64 110 104 106 130 
			 North East Kent 62 99 63 77 90 35 
			 North West Kent 67 72 70 70 31 62 
			 Milton Keynes 18 18 26 29 41 44 
			 Oxfordshire 126 126 155 192 202 358 
			 Surrey 127 153 169 205 179 178 
			 West Sussex 65 33 51 77 58 61 
			
			  South West   
			 Avon (former county) 188 112 118 275 212 530 
			 Cornwall(1) 100 78 114 202 139 295 
			 Exeter and Greater Devon 64 88 145 142 176 210 
			 Plymouth and South West Devon 61 177 210 158 222 133 
			 Torbay and South Devon 26 34 41 35 36 45 
			 Bournemouth Poole and Eastern Dorset 33 32 52 39 33 24 
			 Western Dorset 28 29 20 25 29 29 
			 Gloucestershire(1) 87 93 87 99 129 214 
			 Isles of Scilly 0 0 0 0 1 0 
			 Eastern Somerset 29 37 36 54 36 61 
			 Western Somerset 22 58 62 56 56 28 
			 Wiltshire and Swindon 102 123 156 148 140 189 
			
			  Wales   
			 Bridgend and Glamorgan Valleys 206 174 155 170 139 158 
			 Cardiff and Vale of Glamorgan 138 145 150 174 258 283 
			 Carmarthenshire 54 24 18 21 19 32 
			 Central North Wales 87 42 43 45 52 52 
			 Ceredigion 19 17 14 19 5 6 
			 Gwent 17 24 20 35 23 39 
			 Neath and Port Talbot 15 20 16 20 12 32 
			 North East Wales 80 36 33 73 45 88 
			 North West Wales 57 62 54 69 56 64 
			 Pembrokeshire 20 14 16 15 18 29 
			 Powys 13 25 24 37 30 51 
			 City and County of Swansea 111 113 174 121 90 148 
			
			 Total England and Wales 8,951 9,354 10,056 10,704 10,598 13,079 
			 (1) This district incorporates one or more smaller districts which were separate in 2001. Figures from years when the districts were separate have been aggregated.  Note: In certain circumstances where the data were not available, we have estimated the number of outstanding inquests in a jurisdiction at the end of a year by using related data on the numbers of inquests opened and closed during the year. Around 6 per cent. of values shown in this table have been subject to such an estimation process.

Departmental Reorganisation

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice on what date the Transfer of Functions Order detailing the changes in his Department was laid before Parliament for approval.

Maria Eagle: A Transfer of Functions Order relating to the machinery of government changes of 9 May 2007 was made on 25 July 2007. This was laid before Parliament under the negative resolution procedure on 1 August, and came into force on 22 August 2007. The order is entitled the Secretary of State for Justice Order 2007 (S.I. 2007/2128).

Departments: Internet

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many hits the  (a) most popular and  (b) least popular website run by his Department has received since 1st January 2007.

Maria Eagle: My Department does not hold web usage statistics for all of its websites. For those that we do hold, in January 2007 the most visited website was Her Majesty's Courts Service and the least visited was the Community Justice website. The following table below shows the number of visits each site received for the period January to August 2007:
	
		
			  Month 2007  www.hmcourts-service.gov.uk  www.communityjustice.gov.uk 
			 January 696,798 1,327 
			 February 745,681 1,408 
			 March 742,995 1,544 
			 April 598,505 1,223 
			 May 659,703 1,232 
			 June 651,797 1,097 
			 July 595,444 1,237 
			 August 621,797 1,193

Feltham Young Offenders' Institution and Remand Centre

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 5 June 2007,  Official Report, column 381W, on Feltham Young Offenders' Institution and Remand Centre, what research was undertaken in arriving at the conclusion that the rise in reported racist incidents was due to more robust reporting; who commissioned this research; who carried it out; if he will place a copy of the research in the Library; and if he will make a statement.
	 Question number missing in Hansard, possibly truncated question.

David Hanson: The assertion that there had been no increase in racist activity and that the reporting system was more robust was and is the operational view of managers and staff at Feltham and senior management in the Prison Service. The Independent Monitoring Board have commented favourably on improvements at Feltham and the recently published report by HMCIP commented that Feltham:
	"is a long way from the establishment described in our earlier reports and in the Mubarek inquiry."
	I agree with this view.

Feltham Young Offenders' Institution and Remand Centre

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 5 June 2007,  Official Report, column 381W, on Feltham Young Offenders' Institution and Remand Centre, whether the investigation carried out by the Deputy Governor of HM Prison Wormwood Scrubs is the inquiry to which the answer refers; whether this was classified as a simple inquiry; how long the inquiry took to complete; how many people were interviewed; how many pages were included in the final completed report; who commissioned the inquiry; whether it is his Department's policy that inquiries may be conducted by an employee of lower grade than the person under investigation; and if he will make a statement.

Maria Eagle: Yes, the simple inquiry carried out by the Deputy Governor of Wormwood Scrubs is the inquiry to which the previous answer refers. The inquiry took seven and a half months to complete; two members of staff were interviewed, and the final report ran to 25 pages. The area manager for London was the commissioning authority for this inquiry, and the only grade requirement for an investigating officer is that they are at least of principal officer or executive officer grade, and that the commissioning authority must be satisfied with the competence and impartiality of the investigating officer.

Human Trafficking

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will extend the provision of supported housing for victims of human trafficking.

Maria Eagle: The Ministry of Justice currently funds the Poppy project to provide adult women trafficked into sexual exploitation with secure accommodation, one-to-one intensive crisis support, outreach support and a resettlement service. This year an additional £100,000 was invested to top-up the £2.4 million grant, to increase the capacity of the project during the national enforcement campaign Operation Pentameter 2.
	The United Kingdom became signatory to the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings in March 2007, which sets out minimum obligations in relation to the protection and support of all identified victims of trafficking. The Government are committed to implementing these measures which will enhance existing support arrangements.

Prisons: Crimes of Violence

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many  (a) prisoner-on-prisoner and  (b) prisoner-on-officer assaults were recorded in each prison establishment in each month in the last three years; and if he will make a statement.

David Hanson: The information requested is not held centrally and to obtain and check the data to the level of detail requested would involve contacting each individual prison to verify data.

Prostitution: Prosecutions

Denis MacShane: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many men have been successfully prosecuted for paying for sex with women aged under 18 years in each of the last six years.

Maria Eagle: Between 2000 and 2005 three men were proceeded against for the offence of paying for sex with women aged under 18. None of these men were found guilty of this offence.
	Child prostitution cases are hard to prove; and defendants are more likely to be proceeded against for offences of "Sexual Activity with a child" under Section 9 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003. (Prior to the 2003 Act, these offences were "Unlawful Sexual Intercourse with a Girl" under the Sexual Offences Act 1956 Sections 5 and 69). The number of men found guilty of these offences in England and Wales from 2000 to 2005 are shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Number of males found guilty at all courts of offences of sexual activity with a female child and unlawful sexual intercourse with a girl, England and Wales, 2000 to 2005( 1,)( )( 2,)( )( 3) 
			  Statutes  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005 
			 Sexual Offences Act 1956 (Sections 5 and 6) 267 267 275 297 79 15 
			 Sexual Offences Act 2003 (Section 9)(3) — — — — 67 374 
			 Total 267 267 275 297 146 389 
			 (1) These data are on the principal offence basis.  (2) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.  (3) The Sexual Offences Act 2003 came into force on 1 May 2004.

INNOVATION, UNIVERSITIES AND SKILLS

Pupils: Mathematics

Boris Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills 
	(1)  how many and what percentage of pupils from  (a) independent,  (b) maintained and  (c) grammar schools received a grade A in both mathematics and further mathematics in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available;
	(2)  how many and what percentage of pupils from  (a) independent,  (b) maintained and  (c) grammar schools received a grade A in both mathematics and physics in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available.

Jim Knight: I have been asked to reply.
	The information requested is not readily available and can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Afghanistan: Overseas Aid

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the level of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan was from  (a) the UK and  (b) the EU in the last year; and if he will make a statement.

Shahid Malik: In 2006-07 DFID provided £1.6 million in bilateral humanitarian aid to Afghanistan. Afghanistan is also one of the largest recipients of UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) support, to which the UK is the largest contributor (23 per cent. of total CERF value in 2006). Afghanistan received $32.3 million from CERF in 2006. We also provide core funding to UNICEF, the World Food Programme, and UNHCR, all of whom have operations in Afghanistan.
	In 2005 (the latest year for which figures are available) the total humanitarian aid to Afghanistan from EU Development Assistance Committee (DAC) member states was $90.33 million.

Africa: Floods

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what  (a) financial and  (b) other support he has made available to African countries affected by the recent flooding, broken down by country.

Shahid Malik: DFID is playing a full role in the response to the African floods and staff were deployed quickly to review the humanitarian situation in Ghana, Kenya and Uganda.
	DFID is the largest donor to the UN's Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), contributing £42.2 million this year. This means that funds are available to start humanitarian operations immediately, not wait for appeals to be launched. So far, CERF funding has been used to support flood responses in Sudan (£4.35 million), Uganda (£3 million), Ghana (£1.25 million), Togo (£110,000) and Mali (£500,000).
	DFID is also the largest donor to the Common Humanitarian Fund (CHF) in Sudan, contributing approximately £40 million this year, and the Humanitarian Response Fund (HRF) in Ethiopia, contributing £3 million this year. These funds have been drawn on in Sudan (£2.4 million) and Ethiopia (£1 million) for flood response.
	In addition, direct funding is being provided where humanitarian needs remain unmet. So far, DFID has contributed £1.15 million in Uganda, including £750,000 through the World Food Programme for food aid and logistics, and £400,000 through the Red Cross for emergency shelter and health. In Ethiopia, DFID is providing £1 million to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) annual humanitarian appeal, some of which is being used for flood response. In Ghana we have provided £250,000 to the Red Cross for emergency shelter, provision of safe water and health care.

Departments: Secondment

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many staff are seconded to his Department from outside Government; from which outside body each has been seconded; and what the length is of each secondment.

Shahid Malik: DFID has eight inward secondees from outside Government. Secondments vary from a period of 12 months to four years. The breakdown is as follows:
	
		
			  Seconding organisation  Number of secondments  Duration (year) 
			 World Bank 3 2-4 
			 Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) 1 2 
			 Police Service of Northern Ireland 1 2 
			 British Overseas NGOs for Development (BOND) 1 1 
			 Belgian Technical Cooperation 1 2 
			 French Foreign Ministry 1 1

Mexico City

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent discussions  (a) Ministers in his Department and  (b) officials have had with the United States administration on its Mexico City policy; and if he will make a statement.

Shahid Malik: Ministers and officials have had no recent discussions specifically with the United States administration on its Mexico City policy.

Overseas Aid: Gaza

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the answer of 21 June 2007,  Official Report, column 1980W, on humanitarian aid: Gaza, what representations have been received from the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East regarding the movement of humanitarian supplies through Gaza's border with Israel; and if he will make a statement.

Shahid Malik: We have not received any representations from the United Nations Relief and Works Agency on this issue.

Palestinians: International Assistance

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the answer of 16 July 2007,  Official Report, column 138W, on Palestinians: international assistance, what agreement has been reached on EU financial assistance for the Palestinian Emergency Government; and if he will make a statement.

Shahid Malik: On 24 July, the European Commission announced $123 million (£62 million) of assistance for 2007. EU donors including the UK, Sweden and France have already committed direct financial support to the PA.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Child Benefit

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the cost was of paying child benefit to households in the  (a) £0-£10,000,  (b) £10,001-£20,000,  (c) £20,001-£30,000,  (d) £30,001-£40,000,  (e) £40,001-£50,000 and  (f) over £50,000 per annum income brackets in the latest period for which figures are available.

Jane Kennedy: I have been asked to reply.
	The following table shows the estimated expenditure on child benefit in 2005-06, broken down by gross family income.
	
		
			  Estimated expenditure on child benefit by gross family income: 2005-06 
			   Number of families (000)  Number of children (000)  Estimated expenditure (£ million) 
			 £0-£10,000 499 693 554 
			 £10,001-£20,000 1,724 3,037 2,294 
			 £20,001-£30,000 1,573 2,980 2,216 
			 £30,001-£40,000 1,211 2,176 1,636 
			 £40,001-£50,000 812 1,405 1,065 
			 above £50,000 1,480 2,665 2,003 
			 All incomes 7,298 12,957 9,769 
			  Notes: Gross family income is sum of earnings, self-employment income, investment income, family benefits, pensions and other income)  Source:  Family Resources Survey: 2005-06

Commission for Equality and Human Rights: Manpower

Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he expects the Commission for Equality and Human Rights to reach its full staffing complement.

Barbara Follett: holding answer 10 October 2007
	The Commission has commenced the recruitment of staff. The timing of meeting the full complement will depend on the outcomes of recruitment exercises and the availability of suitably qualified staff.

Departments: Departmental Records

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 16 July 2007,  Official Report, column 84W, on departments: departmental records, what the reasons are for the difference in the number of files and the number of claimants.

James Plaskitt: It is quite legitimate for a customer to have more than one DWP record file. At any given time an individual may be in receipt of injury benefit, income support, disability living allowance, social fund payment(s). It should be noted that each social fund claim generates a new file. It is also feasible that CSA, debt management and fraud hold files on the individual as well as dormant records for jobseekers allowance and the labour market unit. Other benefits for which individual records are kept include retirement pension, attendance allowance and industrial injuries disablement benefit.
	Not all files held are benefit files. There are also registered files and personnel files.

Departments: Public Bodies

Oliver Letwin: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will list his Department's  (a) executive agencies,  (b) executive Non-Departmental Public Bodies (NDPBs),  (c) advisory NDPBs,  (d) tribunal NDPBs,  (e) trading funds and  (f) public corporations for each financial year since 2005-06.

Anne McGuire: Details of the Department for Work and Pensions' Executive Agencies and Non-Departmental Public Bodies (NDPBs) for each financial year since 2005-06 are set out as follows:
	 2005-06
	 (a) Executive Agencies
	Jobcentre Plus
	The Pension Service
	Child Support Agency
	Disability and Carers Service
	The Appeals Service
	The Rent Service
	 (b) Executive NDPBs
	Disability Rights Commission
	Health and Safety Commission
	Health and Safety Executive
	Independent Living Funds
	The Pensions Regulator
	 (c) Advisory NDPBs
	Disability Employment Advisory Committee
	Disability Living Allowance Advisory Board
	Industrial Injuries Advisory Council
	National Employment Panel
	Social Security Advisory Committee
	 (d) Tribunal NDPBs
	Appeals Service
	Pensions Ombudsman (was incorrectly recorded as an Advisory Body in the publication Public Bodies 2006)
	Pension Protection Fund Ombudsman
	 (e) Trading funds
	None
	 (f) Public Corporations
	Pensions Protection Fund
	Remploy Ltd
	 2006-07
	 (a) Executive Agencies
	Jobcentre Plus
	The Pension Service
	Child Support Agency
	Disability and Carers Service
	The Rent Service
	 (b) Executive  NDPBs
	Disability Rights Commission
	Health and Safety Commission
	Health and Safety Executive
	Independent Living Funds
	National Employment Panel Ltd
	The Pensions Advisory Service
	The Pensions Regulator
	 (c) Advisory NDPBs
	Disability Employment Advisory Committee
	Disability Living Allowance Advisory Board
	Equality 2025
	Industrial Injuries Advisory Council
	National Employment Panel
	Social Security Advisory Committee
	 (d) Tribunal NDPBs
	Pensions Ombudsman
	Pension Protection Fund Ombudsman
	 (e) Trading funds
	None
	 (f) Public Corporations
	Pensions Protection Fund
	Remploy Ltd
	Additional information regarding the Department's Agencies and non-departmental public bodies is available from a number of published documents and other sources. The Cabinet Office publication Public Bodies 2006(1) contains information on the Department's non-departmental public bodies in 2005-06 while information regarding 2006-07 is available from the Department's internet site(2). Information regarding the Department's executive agencies can be found within the DWP Departmental Framework(3) and the Departmental Reports for 2006(4) and 2007(5).
	(1) http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/other/agencies/public__bodies/index.asp
	(2) http://www.dwp.gov.uk/ndpb/public_bodies.asp#ndpb
	(3) http://www.dwp.gov.uk/aboutus/departmental_framework.asp
	(4) http://www.dwp.gov.uk/publications/dwp/2006/dr06/
	(5) http://www.dwp.gov.uk/publications/dwp/2007/dr07/

Deprived Areas Fund

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what  (a) areas and  (b) parliamentary constituencies the deprived areas fund applies to; how much the fund is; and what its purpose is.

Mike O'Brien: The information about the areas and parliamentary constituencies to which the deprived areas fund applies is lengthy and has been placed in the Library.
	The deprived areas fund was £19.3 million for the third and fourth quarters of 2006-07 and is £59.1 million in 2007-08.
	The deprived areas fund is an area based initiative which aims to improve the employment rate across all areas of the country and, in particular, on narrowing the gap between those areas with the lowest employment rates and the overall national rate.

Employment Schemes: Luton

Margaret Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions which organisations are assisting  (a) long-term unemployed and  (b) disabled people into work in Luton under contract with his Department.

Caroline Flint: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus, Lesley Strathie. I have asked her to provide my hon. Friend with the information requested.
	 Letter from Lesley Strathie, dated 18 October 2007:
	The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question asking which organisations are assisting long term unemployed and disabled people into work in Luton under contract with his Department. This is something that falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
	Our main contracted provision for long term unemployed customers receiving Jobseeker's Allowance is through our New Deal for Young People and New Deal 25 plus programmes. The Training Network Group is contracted to deliver these programmes in Luton, and they also deliver English for Speakers of Other Languages work placements and additional training for customers who have completed New Deal but have no job to start in the next four weeks.
	New Deal for Young People and New Deal 25 plus customers can also access:
	New Deal Self Employment, contracted to Norfolk and Waveney Enterprise Services (NWES);
	New Deal Mentoring which is contracted to Armstrong Learning;
	New Deal for Musicians which is also contracted to Armstrong Learning; and
	Progressive Steps, a European Social Fund contract, which addresses customers' barriers to work. SEETEC deliver this contract.
	We also contract a range of provision for people with disabilities. Through our New Deal for Disabled People, we have contracts with the following Job Brokers: SEETEC, Royal British Legion Industries and Futura.
	Work Preparation helps customers who have been out of work for a long time due to a disability or illness to help overcome any difficulties they might face when they return to work. Work Preparation is contracted to North Hertfordshire College and delivered by Dunstable College for Luton customers.
	Disabled people can also access our WORKSTEP provision, delivered by Bedfordshire County Council, Watford Sheltered Work Shop, Papworth Trust, Shaw Trust, Remploy, Scope, Employment Opportunities and Royal British Legion Industries. WORKSTEP is a flexible programme designed to meet the individual needs of customers with disabilities and their employer.
	People with disabilities can also be referred to a Disability Employment Adviser or Work Psychologist employed by Jobcentre Plus.
	My District Manager for Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire, Carolyn Taylor, would be happy to brief you in more detail on the range of provision available in the Luton area. Carolyn can be contacted by post at Jobcentre Plus, Beauver House, 6 Brickett Road, St. Albans, Hertfordshire, AL1 3JU, by telephone on 01727 773426 or by email at carolyn.taylor@jobcentreplus.gsi.gov.uk.
	I hope this is helpful.

Housing Benefit: Fraud

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many fraudulent claims for housing benefit there were in each of the last 10 years, broken down by super-output area.

James Plaskitt: The information is not available in the format requested.

Jobseekers Allowance

Jacqui Lait: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many jobseekers allowance applications have been received from qualified or part-qualified home inspectors in the last 12 months.

James Plaskitt: The information requested is not available.

Maternity Pay: Fraud

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many fraudulent applications for maternity pay there were in each of the last 10 years; and how many of the claimants were men.

James Plaskitt: The information is not available.

Pension Credit: Fraud

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many cases of pension credit fraud were  (a) opened and  (b) successfully closed in each of the last three years.

James Plaskitt: The available information is in the following table.
	
		
			  Investigations into suspected cases of pension credit fraud 
			   Number of investigations  Investigations closed with a result( 1) 
			 2004-05 1,826 649 
			 2005-06 5,291 2,563 
			 2006-07 1,682 721 
			 (1) A result is an investigation closed with an identified overpayment, underpayment, monetary value of adjustment or sanction.  Notes: 1. Pension credit came into effect in October 2003 so during 2004-05 the benefit had only been in place for six months which explains the low number of investigations. 2. The number of investigations into pension credit fraud reduced in 2006-07 as many of the cases that were previously investigated by Fraud Investigation Service were instead passed to the newly formed customer compliance team. Information regarding the number of customer compliance cases opened and successfully closed with a result is not available broken down by benefit.  Source: Fraud Information by sector computer system

Pensions: Females

Sally Keeble: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proposals he intends to bring forward for women who do not have enough National Insurance contributions for a full state pension.

Jane Kennedy: I have been asked to reply.
	The Pensions Act 2007 introduced reforms that will ensure that, in 2010, almost 75 per cent. of women will be entitled to a full basic state pension when they reach state pension age. By 2020 around 90 per cent. of women and over 90 per cent. of men reaching state pension age will be entitled to a full basic state pension.
	As set out in the 2007 pre-Budget report, during the Pensions Bill debate, proposals were made that individuals with gaps in their contribution record—particularly women and carers—should be able to buy voluntary national insurance contributions for a greater number of missed years than the system currently allows. The Government are continuing to analyse the options in terms of fairness, affordability and simplicity, and are holding informal discussions with stakeholders.

Pensions: Fraud

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many cases of pension or pension credit fraud were investigated where the false claimant was under 60 years old in the latest period for which figures are available, broken down by government office region.

James Plaskitt: The information is not available.

Remploy: Redundancy

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has to ensure that no disabled people are subject to compulsory redundancies as a result of changes announced by the management of Remploy; and if he will make a statement.

Anne McGuire: holding answer 8 October 2007
	We have guaranteed that there will be no compulsory redundancies for disabled people. This was clearly highlighted in my statement to Parliament in July 2006 and reaffirmed by the Secretary of State's statement on 22 May 2007.
	Where Remploy are proposing that a factory will close, disabled employees will be offered a range of options including voluntary redundancy, early retirement or a job with another local employer on their current Remploy terms and conditions, including membership of Remploy's pension scheme. Some disabled employees will have the opportunity to transfer to another Remploy factory.
	A decision on the future of Remploy will be made, once we receive Remploy's final proposals later this year. Until then, no Government decision will be made concerning Remploy's factories.

Social Security Benefits: Fraud

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many charges of benefit fraud were made in each of the last five years for which figures are available; how many such charges resulted in a prosecution in each year; and how many such prosecutions were successful in each year.

James Plaskitt: Information is not available regarding the number of charges for benefit fraud. Information regarding the number of prosecutions and convictions is in the following table.
	
		
			  Benefit fraud prosecutions and sanctions by DWP and local authorities 
			   Prosecutions  Convictions 
			 2002-03 12,573 11 ,733 
			 2003-04 13,891 12,844 
			 2004-05 14,299 13,204 
			 2005-06 16,852 15,088 
			 2006-07 12,890 12,605 
			  Notes: 1. Prosecutions and convictions figures include General Matching Service, Instrument of Payment (IOP) and Organised Fraud cases. 2. Prosecutions figures exclude cases withdrawn at court.  Source: Fraud information by Sector and Housing Benefit/Council Tax Benefit Management Information Returns

United Kingdom Advisory Network on Disability Equality

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will place in the Library the report of the meeting of the United Kingdom Advisory Network on Disability Equality held on 5 October.

Anne McGuire: holding answer 15 October 2007
	The United Kingdom Advisory Network on Disability Equality, known as Equality 2025 did not have a meeting on the 5 October 2007.

Winter Fuel Payments: Fraud

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many fraudulent claims for winter fuel allowance there were in each of the last five years; and of these how many claimants were aged under 60 years.

James Plaskitt: The information is not available.

TREASURY

Global Business Plan

Chris McCafferty: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had with the Norwegian Prime Minister on the global business plan joint-initiative; and if he will make a statement.

Kitty Ussher: The UK is strongly committed to achieving the millennium development goals for health. Prime Ministers Brown and Stoltenberg jointly launched the International Health Partnership in September, which aims to improve the effectiveness of global health funding, and the UK strongly supports the Norwegian-led global campaign for the health MDGs. UK officials have worked closely with Norway and other international partners in developing the campaign.

Financial Advice

Russell Brown: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking to raise the quality of financial advice available to consumers.

Kitty Ussher: The Financial Services Authority is reviewing the retail distribution of financial products, reporting next year. Adviser qualifications are part of this review.
	The Government has asked Otto Thoresen to examine the feasibility of a high-quality national generic financial advice service. He will report in the new year. The Government will respond next spring.
	Through its Financial Inclusion Fund, the Government have provided over £50 million to fund free face-to-face money advice for financially excluded people.

Tax Credits

Peter Viggers: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many claimants of tax credits are being pursued for repayment; and what total sum is involved.

Jane Kennedy: The information is not available in the format requested. Information on the number of families with an overpayment can be found in child and working tax credits statistics finalised awards supplement on payments on HMRC's website. Information on the amount to be recovered can be found in Chapter 2 Figure 4 of the Comptroller and Auditor General's standard report in the HM Revenue and Customs 2006-07 accounts.

Tax Credits

Paul Burstow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the number of people who have claimed tax credits in the past and continue to be eligible for them but no longer claim them.

Jane Kennedy: A family's tax credit claim is renewed automatically as they finalise their previous year's award for tax credits if they continue to be eligible. Tax credits take-up is a success. The latest figures show that in 2004-05 take up of the child tax credit was 82 per cent. with over 90 per cent. of the money available being claimed, higher than any previous system of income-related financial support for in-work families.

Tax Credits

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking in response to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration's October 2007 report "Tax Credits: Getting it Wrong".

Jane Kennedy: I refer to the answer I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Edinburgh, West (John Barrett).

Council Tax

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the impact of the spending plans announced in the comprehensive spending review on the level of council tax in the next three years.

Andy Burnham: As my right hon. Friend the Chancellor set out to this House in his pre-Budget report statement we expect the overall council tax rise over the next three years to be substantially below 5 per cent.

Youth Employment

Barbara Keeley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent assessment he has made of the impact of trends in youth employment on the UK economy.

Joan Walley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent assessment he has made of the impact of trends in youth employment on the UK economy.

Angela Eagle: The number of young people unemployed and claiming benefits has fallen by 163,000 since 1997 and those on benefits for more than a year has been reduced by over 90 per cent.

Structural Deficit

Michael Fabricant: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the UK's structural deficit in comparison to other EU economies; and if he will make a statement.

Kitty Ussher: Cyclically-adjusted net borrowing in the UK has averaged 1.0 per pent. of GDP over the current economic cycle. Over the same period, the structural balance has averaged 1.9 per cent. in the euro area, 2.1 per cent. in France, 2.3 per cent. in Germany and 2.8 per cent. in Italy.

Structural Deficit

Michael Fallon: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the reasons for the difference between the UK's structural deficit and those of the other major EU economies.

Kitty Ussher: Cyclically-adjusted net borrowing in the UK has averaged 1.0 per cent. of GDP over the current economic cycle. Over the same period, the structural balance has averaged 1.9 per cent. in the euro area, 2.1 per cent. in France, 2.3 per cent. in Germany and 2.8 per cent. in Italy.
	With output close to or at trend throughout the projection period, the profile of cyclically-adjusted borrowing is very similar to that of headline PSNB. Cyclically-adjusted borrowing is slightly higher than the main aggregate in 2007-08 because the economy appears to be slightly above trend in this year.

Hedge Funds

John Grogan: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent discussions he has had with the Financial Services Authority on the regulation of hedge funds.

Kitty Ussher: The Financial Services Authority is responsible for the regulation of hedge fund managers operating in the UK. It has published a number of documents setting out its approach in this area. The Treasury discusses hedge fund regulation regularly with the FSA. The Financial Stability Forum has published five recommendations to improve the existing supervisory and market response to the risks of hedge funds and the Financial Services Authority is working closely with international supervisors to implement these.

Child Trust Fund

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the impact on family savings patterns in the UK of the child trust fund.

Kitty Ussher: The Child Trust Fund will ensure that at age 18 all children have access to a financial asset. Over three million children now have a Child Trust Fund account and evidence suggests that levels of engagement with the scheme are high. Data on contributions into accounts will be published for the first time later this month and will enable us to assess the impact of the Child Trust Fund on family saving patterns going forward.

Children: Maintenance

Jeremy Wright: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment HM Revenue and Customs has made of the effect of a decision to pay child benefit to a separated parent on the entitlement to  (a) tax credits and  (b) other benefits of the other parent, when both parents have applied for child benefit in relation to a child.

Jane Kennedy: Child benefit is a universal benefit which is non-contributory and paid to families regardless of income.
	Ideally, separated parents will decide between themselves who should be entitled to receive child benefit. Only where the parents cannot decide who should be entitled will an officer on behalf of the commissioners of HMRC decide the matter.
	In such cases, HMRC determines which parent has the greater responsibility on the basis of the information provided by both parents. Where it is appropriate, consideration will also be given to the impact on entitlement to other benefits of paying child benefit to one parent.
	The tax credit system does not prevent child tax credit from being paid to a parent if they are not receiving child benefit, so long as they are mainly responsible for the child's day to day care.

Council Tax: Tax Yields

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much the net revenue from council tax receipts was in  (a) England,  (b) Wales and  (c) Great Britain in each year since 1997-98; and if he will estimate what the revenue will be in each case in 2007-08.

Angela Eagle: Outturn and budget figures for net council tax receipts in England, Wales and Great Britain to 2006-07 are available from:
	Communities and Local Government (CLG): Local Government Finance Statistics England (numbers 15, 16 and 17: table 2.2a). The 2006-07 figure for England can be found in Local Authority Revenue Expenditure and Financing 2006-07 Provisional Outturn, table 2 at:
	http://www.local.communities.gov.uk/finance/stats/laout0607.pdf
	Welsh Assembly Government: Statswales (table: Council Tax Collection, In-year council tax) at:
	http://www.statswales.wales.gov.uk/TableViewer/tableView.aspx?Reportld=396
	Scottish Executive: Council Tax Collection Statistics (table 1) at:
	http://www/.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2007/06/22095121/1
	These figures are provided on a cash basis.
	The aggregated estimate for net council tax receipts in 2007-08 for the UK is available from table B8 in the 2007 pre-Budget report and Comprehensive Spending Review. The statistics in this table are determined on a national accounts accruals basis, so do not read across from the cash figures provided by CLG and the devolved Administrations.
	A figure for England in 2007-08 is available from Local Authority Revenue Expenditure and Financing 2007-08 Budget, table 2 at:
	http://www.local.communities.gov.uk/finance/stats/rev0708june07.pdf

Departments: Property

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many properties are held on the Electronic Property Information Mapping Service database; and what property attributes are recordable for each property.

Jane Kennedy: The Electronic Property Information Mapping Service database holds records of 9,636 holdings (either whole buildings occupied by Government or parts of buildings). It also holds 2,578 land records.
	 Each property record contains:
	1. General property details such as address, ownership, use, location.
	2. Space details such as area occupied, vacant space, number of full-time equivalent staff.
	3. Title Interest such as rent periods, break and review dates, rent and service charge payments.
	4. Sub tenancies such as sublets outside of Government and internal Memorandum of Terms of Occupation (MOTOs) to Government Departments.
	5. Environmental data such as annual electricity consumption, water consumption and total waste.

Departments: Sexual Harassment

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 24 July 2007,  Official Report, column 1001W, on Departments: sexual harassment, if he will place in the Library  (a) copies of the Valuation Office Agency's Gender Equality Scheme and Action Plan and  (b) the latest monitoring report for diversity strands.

Jane Kennedy: A copy of the Agency's Gender Equality Scheme and Action Plan is published and available on the Agency's website at:
	www.voa.gov.uk
	Copies of the Agency's Gender Equality Scheme and Action Plan and the latest Monitoring Report for the Agency will be placed in the Library.

Financial Services: Pay

Ben Chapman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effect on the economy of recent trends in the levels of City bonuses.

Angela Eagle: Box 2.3 on page 23 of the 2007 pre-Budget report and Comprehensive Spending Review sets out the impacts of the financial sector on the economy and public finances.

Housing: Valuation

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proposals the Valuation Office Agency has considered  (a) to increase the amount of property attribute information on domestic dwellings online and  (b) to publish council tax information with colour coded maps using Ordnance Survey data online; and what plans the Agency has to implement those proposals.

Jane Kennedy: None, following the completion of the council tax revaluation in Wales and the postponement of that in England.

Income Tax

Frank Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 25 June 2007,  Official Report, column 384W, on income tax, 
	(1)  how many people who will experience a reduction in income will be  (a) economically active and  (b) inactive;
	(2)  how many  (a) single adults,  (b) families with one earner and  (c) individuals in families with two earners will experience a reduction in income, broken down by sex;
	(3)  what estimate he has made of the number of people with annual incomes of  (a) £10,000,  (b) £10-£15,000,  (c) £15-20,000 and  (d) £20,000 and above whose income will be reduced by the abolition of the 10p income tax rate;
	(4)  what estimate he has made of the numbers of  (a) single adults earning less than £18,500,  (b) families with two earners whose tax rise is not met by tax credit changes,  (c) women aged between 60 and 64 and  (d) workers who have prematurely retired and do not qualify for the higher pensioner tax allowance whose income will be reduced by the abolition of the 10p income tax rate;
	(5)  how many of the three million taxpayers whose incomes will be reduced by the abolition of the 10p income tax rate and who will not gain from the cut in the basic rate of tax to 20p, will have their incomes reduced by  (a) under £1,  (b) between £1 and £3,  (c) between £3 and £5 and  (d) between £5 and £10 a week.

Jane Kennedy: The removal of the 10p rate of income tax on earned income was part of a package of reforms announced in Budget 2007. The exact effect of the reforms will depend both on individual incomes, and on the circumstances of the household in which people live, for example whether they have children and their age.
	As a result of the personal tax reforms announced in Budget 2007 21 million households are better off or no worse off.
	Of those households that will see their income rise due to the reforms, the following table shows the distribution of households by change in their weekly income.
	
		
			  Change in weekly income  Number of households (million) 
			 Increase by less than £1 3.0 
			 Increase between £1 and £3 4.7 
			 Increase between £3 and £5 3.2 
			 Increase between £5 and £10 4.0 
			 Increase by more than £10 a week 1.0 
		
	
	Of the 5.3 million households that will pay marginally more in net tax—on average less than a half per cent. of net income—the following table shows the distribution of households by change in their weekly income.
	
		
			  Change in weekly income  Number of households( 1)  (million) 
			 Decrease by less than £1 1.5 
			 Decrease between £1 and £3 2.2 
			 Decrease between £3 and £5 1.1 
			 Decrease between £5 and £10 0.4 
			 Decrease by more than £10 a week 0.0 
			 (1) Rows may not sum to total due to rounding. 
		
	
	Of these 5.3 million households, around 900,000 households contain a single adult, who see their income decreased by £1.45 a week on average, a further 700,000 are households with more than one adult but with a single 'earner', who see their income decreased by £2.00 a week on average, and around 3.3 million households who are worse off have two or more adults who are defined as 'earners', who see their income decreased by £2.60 a week on average.
	Around 4.8 million of these 5.3 million households contain at least one adult who is economically active, who see their income decreased by £2.30 a week on average, and around 0.5 million losing households only contain economically inactive adults, who see their income decreased by £2.05 a week on average. Some 0.8 million are single adults with an income below £18,500, who see their income decreased by £1.45 a week on average, and 0.6 million are women aged between 60 and 64, who see their income decreased by £1.95 a week on average. An adult is defined as an 'earner' if they are economically active.
	Of these 5.3 million, 0.9 million have a household reference person with an income under £10,000 a year, 1.1 million have a household reference person with an income between £10,000 and £15,000 a year, 1.5 million have a household reference person with an income between £15,000 and £20,000 a year, and 1.8 million have a household reference person with an income between £10,000 and £20,000 a year. The Household Reference Person is the person who owns the accommodation or is legally responsible for the rent. If this should apply to more than one person in the household, then they are the one with the highest income.
	The estimates are for 2009-10 and have been calculated by comparing against a base that has been increased in line with inflation, using the 2004-05 Expenditure and Food Survey.

Income Tax: Tax Rates and Bands

David Drew: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the estimated impact is on  (a) 16 to 18-year-olds in work,  (b) single people aged 18 to 65 years,  (c) lone parents where the parent works fewer than 25 hours per week,  (d) lone parents where the parent works more than 25 hours per week,  (e) two parent/adult families with one child,  (f) two parent/adult families with two children and  (g) two parent/adult families with three children earning (i) less than £15,000 per annum, (ii) £15,000 to £20,000 per annum, (iii) £20,000 to £25,000 per annum, (iv) £25,000 to £30,000 per annum, (v) £30,000 to £35,000 per annum, (vi) £35,000 to £40,000 per annum, (vii) £40,000 to £45,000 per annum, (viii) £45,000 to £50,000 per annum, (ix) £50,000 to £55,000 per annum and (x) £55,000 to £60,000 per annum of the abolition of the 10p starting rate in income tax and the 2p reduction in the standard rate.

Tim Boswell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the percentage change is in (a) income tax and  (b) employee national insurance contributions arising from budget changes for individuals (i) at or over the state pension age and (ii) below the state pension age with an income of (A) £60,000 per annum, (B) £30,00 per annum and (C) £15,000 per annum.

David Anderson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the effect on incomes in each year up to 2011 of  (a) changes to personal allowances,  (b) the removal of the 10p tax rate and  (c) the reduction of the basic rate of income tax to 20 pence on people born (i) before and (ii) after 1935 with incomes of (A) £8,000, (B) £9,000, (C) £10,000, (D) £11,000, (E) £12,000, (F) 13,000, (G) £14,000, (H) £15,000, (I) £16,000, (J) £17,000 and (K) £18,000.

Robert Syms: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his estimate is of the average change in income tax which has to be paid by a 21-year-old single person living in Poole working full-time on the minimum wages as a result of the measures announced in the 2007 Budget.

Jane Kennedy: Budget 2007 announced a number of reforms to simplify the personal tax system. The exact effect of the reforms will depend both on individual incomes, and on the circumstances of the household in which people live, for example whether they have children and their age.
	Projected changes in net income in 2009-10 as a result of this package are shown in the following tables. Net incomes are based on a single earner with gross earned income as specified, net of income tax and employee national insurance contributions, and including child benefit and tax credits (non-pensioner families) or pension credit (pensioner families). The projections assume full take-up of entitlements to tax credits where applicable, without child care costs or disability premiums.
	
		
			  Change in net income by April 2009 (2009-10 prices £ a year) 
			  Annual earning  Single person/single earner couple (aged under 25)  Single person (aged 25+)  Single earner couple (aged 25+) 
			 £0 0 0 0 
			 £5,000 0 0 0 
			 £10,000 -197 175 175 
			 £15,000 -97 -97 175 
			 £20,000 3 3 3 
			 £25,000 103 103 103 
			 £30,000 203 203 203 
			 £35,000 303 303 303 
			 £40,000 121 121 121 
			 £45,000 12 12 12 
			 £50,000 12 12 12 
			 £55,000 12 12 12 
			 £60,000 12 12 12 
		
	
	
		
			   Lone parent/single earner couple with children 
			  Annual earnings  One child  Two children  Three children 
			 £0 160 320 481 
			 £5,000 160 320 481 
			 £10,000 335 495 655 
			 £15,000 335 495 655 
			 £20,000 336 496 656 
			 £25,000 103 496 656 
			 £30,000 203 203 656 
			 £35,000 303 303 303 
			 £40,000 121 121 121 
			 £45,000 12 12 12.40 
			 £50,000 12 12 12.40 
			 £55,000 12 12 12.40 
			 £60,000 12 12 12.40 
		
	
	
		
			  Annual income  Single pensioner/single income couple pensioner (aged 65-74)  Single pensioner/single income couple pensioner (aged 75+) 
			 £0 0 0 
			 £5,000 0 0 
			 £10,000 416 416 
			 £15,000 96 96 
			 £20,000 196 196 
			 £25,000 323 323 
			 £30,000 203 203 
			 £35,000 303 303 
			 £40,000 403 403 
			 £45,000 610 610 
			 £50,000 610 610 
			 £55,000 610 610 
			 £60,000 610 610 
			  Notes: 1. Other than the changes announced at Budget 2007 this assumes normal indexation of personal allowances, thresholds and limits. 2. National insurance contributions (NICs) are assumed to be paid at the class one not contracted out rate. 3. Only individuals aged 16-64 for males and 16-59 for females are liable for NICs. Therefore there is no change in NICs liability for individuals aged outside of these age ranges.

Income Tax: Tax Rates and Bands

Vincent Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of the monetary benefit of the cut in the basic rate of income tax announced in Budget 2007 to take effect in April 2008 will go to  (a) the poorest 10 per cent. of the population and  (b) the richest 40 per cent. of the population; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Kennedy: The cut in the basic rate of income tax announced in Budget 2007 was part of a package of reforms designed to simplify the tax and benefit system. The following table shows the gain by income decile from the reforms taken together.
	
		
			  Income decile  Percentage change in net household income 
			 Bottom 0.77 
			 2(nd) 0.81 
			 3(rd) 0.62 
			 4(th) 0.29 
			 5(th) 0.17 
			 6(th) 0.16 
			 7(th) 0.21 
			 8(th) 0.32 
			 9(th) 0.46 
			 Top 0.31 
		
	
	The measures announced in Budget 2007 are part of ongoing reform of the tax and benefit system since 1997. Since 1997, these changes have benefited those at the bottom of the income distribution most, with over a fifth of the net gains going to the bottom tenth of the income distribution, compared to around a tenth going to the top four income deciles.

Inheritance Tax

Tim Boswell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the scheme of relief for inheritance tax for current and former spouses announced in the pre-Budget report will be extended to cover those whose spouse died under the estate duty regime applicable until 1974; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Kennedy: The Chancellor announced in his pre-Budget report statement that the transferable inheritance tax allowance is available to all existing widows, widowers or bereaved civil partners. This includes those whose spouse died under the estate duty regime.

Inheritance Tax

Harry Cohen: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give consideration to the possibility of extending his inheritance tax exemption transfer to cohabiting couples who can indicate that they have not married or entered into a civil partnership because they are of different religions or have special circumstances.

Jane Kennedy: The Chancellor announced in his pre-Budget report that the combined IHT allowance for married couples and civil partners is now £600,000, rising to £700,000 in April 2010. This combined allowance will apply where IHT spouse relief is already applicable to transfers between the two partners.

Inheritance Tax

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  how much revenue was raised via inheritance tax in  (a) England and  (b) the United Kingdom in (i) 1996-97 and (ii) 2006-07;
	(2)  how many estates paid inheritance tax in  (a) England and  (b) the United Kingdom in (i) 1996-97 and (ii) 2006-07.

Jane Kennedy: The information requested is not available for England. The following tables show figures for the United Kingdom, and for England and Wales combined.
	
		
			  Inheritance tax receipts 
			  £ billion 
			   United Kingdom  England and Wales 
			 1996-97 1.6 1.4 
			 2006-07 3.5 3.3 
		
	
	
		
			  Estates paying inheritance tax 
			   United Kingdom  England and Wales 
			 1996-97 (1)17,900 16,100 
			 2006-07 33,000 30,700 
			 (1) The figure of 17,900 in 1996-97 is a revision of the previously published figure of 15,000.

Inheritance Tax

Tim Farron: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the financial impact of the proposed changes in inheritance tax on  (a) single parent families and  (b) divorced couples.

Jane Kennedy: Following the changes to inheritance tax announced by the Chancellor in the pre-Budget report, every individual will benefit from a tax-free allowance of £300,000 whatever their marital status. Previous Budgets have announced that this allowance will rise faster than forecast inflation in each of the next three years reaching £350,000 in April 2010.

Inheritance Tax: Hampshire

Mike Hancock: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much inheritance tax was collected from residents of Hampshire in each year since 1997 in ( a) cash and  (b) real terms.

Jane Kennedy: Figures for amounts of inheritance tax collected are not available at local levels.

Inheritance Tax: Tax Yields

Roger Williams: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what revenue was received by the Treasury from inheritance tax in each of the last three years, broken down by constituency.

Jane Kennedy: Information on total inheritance tax receipts is published by HMRC at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/inheritance_tax/table121.pdf
	Figures are not available for inheritance tax received at local levels.

Members: Correspondence

John Barrett: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he will reply to the letters of 21 May and 31 July 2007 from the hon. Member for Edinburgh, West in relation to his constituent Mrs. Deborah Karimi.

Jane Kennedy: I have replied to the hon. Member.

Microgeneration: Finance

Helen Southworth: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will bring forward fiscal measures to encourage UK businesses to develop production of microgeneration for supply of energy for domestic and commercial consumption.

Angela Eagle: All taxes are kept under review and any changes are announced by the Chancellor as part of the Budget process.
	The Government have introduced a number of measures in support of microgeneration including reduced VAT on installations; access to renewable obligation certificates; and tax exemptions for revenues earned from domestically generated electricity exported to the grid. Further to this, the Government announced, at pre-Budget report 2007, that microgeneration investments will not be included in ad hoc re-assessments of business rates liability from 2008, subject to state aid clearance.
	The Government have also set out, in their Microgeneration Strategy and Energy White Paper, measures to help support and develop the microgeneration industry.

Personal Income

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many households have total income in excess of £50,000 per year; and what percentage of all households that figure represents.

James Plaskitt: I have been asked to reply.
	We estimate that there are 4.3 million households in the UK with total gross annual income in excess of £50,000. This is 17 per cent. of all households in the UK.
	 Source
	Family Resources Survey, UK 2005-06

Stamp Duties

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 10 September 2007,  Official Report, column 1980W, on stamp duties, what estimate his Department has made of the proportion of first time buyers who were exempt from stamp duty land tax in  (a) 1996 and  (b) 1997.

Kitty Ussher: No estimate has been made of the proportion of first time buyers who were exempt from stamp duty (the forerunner to stamp duty land tax) in 1996 or 1997.

Stamp Duties: Hampshire

Mike Hancock: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much stamp duty was collected arising from sales of Hampshire properties in each year since 1997 in  (a) cash and  (b) real terms.

Kitty Ussher: Estimates of the stamp duty land tax yield at county level are not available for years prior to 2005-06. Figures for 2005-06 and 2006-07 are provided in the following tables from the HMRC website:
	 2005-06
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/stamp_duty/table15-4-0506.pdf
	 2006-07
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/stamp_duty/table15-4-0607.pdf

Taxation: Domicile

Richard Spring: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  how many people are registered as non-domiciled for tax purposes; how many of them are  (a) resident,  (b) ordinarily resident and  (c) non-resident; and what (i) UK and (ii) foreign income was declared by each group in the most recent year for which figures are available;
	(2)  when he expects figures for the number of individuals indicating non-domicile tax status through their self-assessment returns in 2005-06 to be available.

Jane Kennedy: The last full year's data relate to 2004-05, in which there were 115,000 non-domiciles. HMRC's live systems show the latest figure (as at August 2007) for 2005-06 is 114,000 non-domiciles however HMRC expect more returns to be processed. Data on incomes are only available annually—the annual data (as at April 2007) for 2005-06 showed the following:
	
		
			   Non-domiciles  Not-ordinarily residents 
			 Number of individuals 111,000 29,000 
			 Total declared UK taxable income, of which: 11.9 1.0 
			 remitted foreign income (£ billion) 0.2 0.1 
			 Reported non-taxable unremitted foreign employment income (£ billion) 0.7 0.1

Taxation: Pensioners

Vincent Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many pensioners will experience a higher marginal deduction rate as a result of the changes announced in the 2007 Budget.

Jane Kennedy: Budget 2007 reforms to personal taxation included increases to higher personal allowances for those aged 65 and over by £1,180 above indexation in April 2008, removing around 600,000 pensioners from paying tax, and ensuring that around 95 per cent. of pensioner households either gain or are unaffected by the reforms overall. Pensioner households are on average £1,450 a year better off in real terms since 1997.
	We estimate that marginal deduction rates will fall for around 2.8 million pensioner heads of household in 2009-10 as a result of the reforms, and that they may rise for around 600,000 pensioner heads of household, in most cases reflecting changes in marginal rates of income tax. Not all of those with higher marginal deduction rates will be worse off as allowances have risen.
	These estimates reflect today's pensioner population, projected tax and benefit parameters in 2009-10.

Unpaid Taxes

Philip Hammond: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the  (a) amount of uncollected tax that was written off by HM Revenue and Customs in each year since 1997 and  (b) the proportion of uncollected tax written off in each year which was due to taxpayer insolvency.

Jane Kennedy: Details of revenue losses including tax written off by Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is published annually in the departmental accounts and are available on the departmental website. The information on the proportion of tax written off by HMRC and its legacy Departments attributable to taxpayer insolvency from 1997 can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Valuation Office

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place in the Library a copy of the presentation and handout produced by representatives of the Valuation Office Agency at the workshop on automated valuation models of real estate for cadastral purposes organised by the Permanent Committee on the Cadastre in the European Union held at Santiago de Compostela, Spain, in October 2006.

Jane Kennedy: A copy of the presentation has been placed in the Library. No handouts were issued.

Valuation Office

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  if he will place in the Library a copy of the final report of the Gateway Review by the Valuation and Lands Agency for the Computer Assisted Mass Appraisal Implementation Project and the Public Interface Project;
	(2)  what estimate his Department has made of the net revenue generated from domestic rates, including district and regional rates, in Northern Ireland in  (a) 2006-07 and  (b) 2007-08;
	(3)  how much revenue was generated from domestic rates in Northern Ireland in each year since 1997-98.

Angela Eagle: These are matters for the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency, an agency within the Northern Ireland Department of Finance and Personnel.

Valuation Office

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what work is being carried out by the Valuation Office Agency into the merits of acquiring a geographic information system.

Jane Kennedy: The Valuation Office Agency is considering the merits of procuring a geographic information system and commissioned its IT partner, Aspire, to prepare a design proposal.

Valuation Office

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for North-East Bedfordshire (Alistair Burt) of 24 July 2007,  Official Report, column 1018W, on the Valuation Office Agency, what the purpose was of the visit to Japan by the Valuation Office Agency.

Jane Kennedy: The International Property Tax Institute (IPTI) was invited to meet with officials in Japan to discuss their local property tax system and a member of the VOA attended that meeting in his capacity as a member of the IPTI Advisory Board. IPTI met all the costs involved.

Valuation Office

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on what date the Valuation Office Agency's Council Tax Toolkit was last updated.

Jane Kennedy: The Council Tax Toolkit is a live set of training modules on the Valuation Office Agency's intranet, which are continually being updated.

Valuation Office

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what use the Valuation Office Agency makes of unique property reference numbers.

Jane Kennedy: The VOA uses unique property reference numbers to distinguish individual property records.

Valuation Office: Contracts

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many invitations to tender  (a) the Valuation Office Agency and  (b) HM Revenue and Customs has issued since January 2003; and for what purpose in each case.

Jane Kennedy: VOA have not directly placed any Invitations to Tender in the OJEU (Official Journal of the European Union) since January 2003.
	The following is a list of contracts advertised through OJEU—a total of 76 Invitations to Tender (ITTs) were issued since January 2003. As HM Revenue and Customs was formed on 18 April 2005 following the merger of HM Customs and Excise (HM C and E) and Inland Revenue (IR), information for years prior to the merger are shown for the respective departments.
	The list excludes any contracts awarded through Government-wide Framework Agreements and collaborative tenders where HMRC are not the contracting authority.
	
		
			  Invitation to tender 
			 2003 HM C and E: Records Management 
			 February 2003 HM C and E: Baggage X-Ray Machines 
			 March 2003 HM C and E: Provision of Legal Services in Scotland 
			 May 2003 IR: Electronic Completion of Income Tax Assessment 
			 August 2003 HM C and E: Forensic Examination of Telephone Equipment 
			 July 2003 HM C and E: Business Advice Day Sponsorship 
			 July 2003 HM C and E: Payroll Management Services 
			 August 2003 HM C and E: Security Transport Services 
			 October 2003 HM C and E: Civil Recovery of Debt Services 
			 October 2003 IR: Collection, Transportation and Disposal of Products of Animal Origin 
			 November 2003 HM C and E: Haulage, Storage and Disposal of Seized Fuel Products, Chemicals 
			 November 2003 HM C and E: Economics and Commercial Awareness Training 
			 December 2003 HM C and E: Narcotics and Explosives Trace Detectors 
			   
			 2004 IR: Print, Mailing and Print Management 
			 2004 Training Services 
			 2004 IR: Vehicle Hire Car and Van Rental 
			 2004 IR: ASPIRE IT Services 
			 2004 IR: Fleet Management 
			 January 2004 IR: Employers Orderline and Mailings 
			 January 2004 HM C and E: Tax Stamps 
			 February 2004 IR: Medals and Insignia 
			 February 2004 HM C and E: Office Furniture Contract 
			 April 2004 HM C and E: Collection, Transportation and Disposal of Products of Animal Origin and Plant Based Goods 
			 April 2004 HM C and E: Vehicle Conversion for Road Fuel Testing 
			 April 2004 IR: Sortation of Incoming and Outgoing Post 
			 May 2004 HM C and E: Security Printing 
			 June 2004 IR: Collection and Delivery of International Mail 
			 June 2004 HM C and E: Provision of Work Wear, Personal Protective Equipment and H and S Clothing 
			 July 2004 HM C and E: Illicit Drugs Detection System 
			 July 2004 HM C and E: Courtroom Skills Training 
			 August 2004 IR: Electronic Self-Assessment Filing Partnerships 
			 October 2004 HM C and E: Airside Vehicle Management 
			 October 2004 IR: Supply and Maintenance of Post Room Machinery, Equipment, Furniture 
			 October 2004 IR: Distribution of Government Publications 
			 November 2004 HM C and E: Design and Delivery of Taxation Training 
			 December 2004 HM C and E: Static X-Ray Machines 
			 December 2004 HM C and E: Mobile X-Ray Units 
			   
			 2005 Sprint: IT Hardware and Software 
			 2005 IS Consultancy 
			 2005 Delivery and Management of Business Link 
			 2005 Detection Equipment 
			 2005 Eyesight Testing 
			 2005 Satellite Communication 
			 March 2005 HM C and E: Production and Distribution of Duty Stamps 
			 April 2005 Provision of Radiation Protection Advice Services 
			 June 2005 Supply of Relocatable Scanners to HM Revenue and Customs 
			 July 2005 Government Banking Project 
			 July 2005 Audit Professionalism Training 
			 August 2005 Supply of Radio Batteries 
			 October 2005 Scientific Referrals 
			 November 2005 Bulk Scanning Services 
			   
			 2006 Medical Assistance for Staff Travelling Abroad 
			 2006 IT Consumables 
			 2006 Mobile Telephone and SMS Contract 
			 2006 Occupational Health and Screening Services 
			 April 2006 Secure Collection and Transportation of High Value/High Risk Items 
			 April 2006 Vehicle Lease Contract Hire 
			 May 2006 Vehicle Disposal 
			 August 2006 Specialist Consultancy Framework 
			 August 2006 Press Cuttings and Media Services 
			 October 2006 Specialist Coaching and Development Framework 
			 November 2006 Professional Role Player Framework 
			 November 2006 Remedial Works to Bradford Contact Centre 
			   
			 January 2007 Castle Meadow Office Support Services Contract 
			 May 2007 Law Costs Draftsmen Framework Agreement 
			 June 2007 Radio Communications Solution 
			 June 2007 Managed Services for Residential Staff Training Facility 
			 June 2007 Detection Equipment 
			 August 2007 Information Technology Services: Import and Export Processing 
			 August 2007 Disposal of Office Furniture, Office Machines and Sundry Office Equipment 
			 July 2007 Records Management Service 
			 August 2007 Emergency Medical Responder Training 
			 August 2007 Customer Insight Framework 
			 August 2007 Recruitment and Related Services 
			 August 2007 Firearms and Explosives Safety Awareness Training 
			 September 2007 Bathgate AC Remedial Works Contract (Estates)

Valuation Office: Contracts

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place in the Library a copy of the Invitation to Tender issued by the Valuation Office Agency in October 2004 on the provision of Access to Property Data.

Jane Kennedy: The Invitation to Tender was issued in the form of a proposal to potential suppliers. This is available in Appendix 1 of the contract between Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs and Rightmove.co.uk Ltd. and I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Surrey Heath (Michael Gove) on 10 September 2007,  Official Report, column 1969W.

Valuation Office: Manuals

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for North-East Bedfordshire (Alistair Burt) of 25 July 2007,  Official Report, column 1189W, on the Valuation Office: manuals, if he will place in the Library a copy of the Valuation Office Agency's Council Tax Referencing Manual.

Jane Kennedy: A copy has been placed in the Library.

Valuation Office: Manuals

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the title is of each of the Valuation Office Agency's learning manuals.

Jane Kennedy: The following learning documents are currently available to Valuation Office Agency staff:
	Rating Support Application (RSA) Induction training support materials
	RSA Data Retrieval training support materials
	RSA Reconstitutions training support materials
	RSA Rental Adjustment and Analysis training support materials
	RSA Quality Assurance training support materials
	RSA Forms of Return training support materials
	RSA Case Registration training support materials
	RSA training support materials
	RSA Survey Data training support materials
	RSA Valuation training support materials
	RSA Scales and Matrices training support materials
	RSA Overview training support materials
	RSA Programming training support materials
	RSA Management Information training support materials
	RSA Procedures Manual
	RSA - First Steps Guide
	IT Services Division (ITSD) IT Training Information
	District Valuer Services (DVS) Caseworker Support IT training support materials
	Defence Support Package (DSP) IT application training support materials
	CRAC, MILO, 1990 Rating Enquiries IT application work aids and trainer notes
	Digital Mapping User Guide
	Digital Photography User Guide
	Microsoft Applications IT trainer notes
	VOA Management Development guides and workbooks
	NDR Referencers Manual
	CT Referencers Manual
	Zoning of shops handbook

Valuation Office: New Zealand

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what meetings the Valuation Office Agency has had in New Zealand in the last 36 months; and what conferences it has attended.

Jane Kennedy: The VOA has not had any formal meetings, or attended any conferences, in New Zealand in the last 36 months. The International Property Tax Institute (IPTI) was invited to meet with officials in New Zealand to discuss their local property tax system and a member of the VOA attended that meeting in his capacity as a member of the IPTI Advisory Board. IPTI met all the costs involved.

Valuation Office: Visits Abroad

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for North East Bedfordshire of 24 July 2007,  Official Report, column 1020W, on the Valuation Office Agency: visits abroad, what the title of the Lithuania conference was; and if he will place in the Library a copy of the handouts and presentation given by the representatives of the Agency to the conference.

Jane Kennedy: The title of the conference in Lithuania was "Role of Property Taxation-Local Revenue Mobilization". It was a conference organised by the International Property Tax Institute in conjunction with the Institute of Revenues, Rating and Valuation along with the co-operation of the State Enterprise Centre of Registers of Lithuania.
	The conference was public and a copy of the presentation made by a member of the Valuation Office Agency at the conference has been placed in the Library.

VAT: Parish Councils

Mark Todd: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress has been made in the explorations by his officials regarding the VAT status of parish meetings referred to in the answer of 26 April 2006,  Official Report, column 1174W, on parish councils; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Kennedy: The VAT status of parish meetings remains under review, including whether any change to the current position would deliver cost-effective benefits that are consistent with the objectives outlined in 'Strong and Prosperous Communities', the Government White Paper on the future role and structure of local government published in October 2006.

VAT: Sunscreens

Bob Spink: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make it his policy to reduce VAT on suncare products; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Kennedy: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave him on 23 April 2007,  Official Report, column 998W.

Welfare Tax Credits

David Lidington: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  pursuant to the written statement of 25 July 2007,  Official Report, columns 62-63WS, on tax credit administration, how many households have been written to by HM Revenue and Customs to inform them that their tax credit case is being reviewed;
	(2)  what deadline HM Revenue and Customs has adopted for completion of the reviews of the 160,000 tax credit cases described in the written statement of 25 July 2007,  Official Report, columns 62-63WS, on tax credit administration.

Jane Kennedy: HM Revenue and Customs have written to around 175,000 households to advise them that they will be reviewing their tax credits awards from 2003-04 and 2004-05, and to around 75,000 recipients about their 2005-06 awards.
	These are cases where new information came to light that reduced tax credit entitlement after the award for that year had been finalised and closed. The vast majority of those affected will not see any impact on their tax credits award and no-one will be worse off as a result of this issue.
	The planned programme of work to review these awards has now started and will be completed in three years. The time span reflects the need to put these cases on a sound footing as soon as practicable while ensuring HM Revenue and Customs continues to improve the service it provides to tax credits claimants. The plans include ensuring that those where the overpayment is greatest will be reviewed first, and priority will also be given to those where there is an outstanding query about the overpayment.

Written Questions

Vincent Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he will answer question 143315, on marginal deduction rates, tabled by the hon. Member for Twickenham on 13 June 2007.

Jane Kennedy: I have answered the hon. Member's question and very much regret not being in a position to do so earlier.

Written Questions

David Anderson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects to answer question 136787, on taxation and allowances, tabled on 8 May 2007 by the hon. Member for Blaydon.

Jane Kennedy: I have answered the hon. Member's question and very much regret not being in a position to do so earlier.

BUSINESS, ENTERPRISE AND REGULATORY REFORM

Arms Trade: Channel Islands

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what military goods have been licensed for export to the Channel Islands from the UK in the last three years.

Gareth Thomas: The Government publish detailed information on export licences issued, including the number of military export licences approved for the Channel Islands, in their Annual and Quarterly Reports on Strategic Export Controls. The Government's Annual Reports, published since 1997, are available from the Libraries of the House and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) website at:
	http://www.fco.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=OpenMarket/Xcelerate/ShowPage&c=Page&cid=l007029395474
	The Government have published quarterly reports on Strategic Export Controls since January 2004 and these are also available from this website.

Bevin Boys

Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform if he will make a statement on the progress to date of introducing the individual recognition scheme for the Bevin Boys.

Malcolm Wicks: The application process for the Bevin Boys Veterans Badge was launched on 24 September and the first Badge will be awarded to coincide with the 60th anniversary of the demobilisation of the final Bevin Boys in March 2008. The Badge is available to all survivors who, either through compulsion or on a voluntary basis, worked in the mines under the Bevin Boys' scheme rather than serving in the armed forces. The widows of eligible men who died on or after 20 June 2007, the date of introduction, are also eligible. To date, some 600 applications have been received.

Defence Equipment: Exhibitions

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform which Ministers from his Department attended the Defence Systems and Equipment International exhibition in September.

Stephen Timms: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, attended the Defence Systems and Equipment International exhibition, as did the Minister for Defence Equipment and Support, and the Minister for Trade Promotion and Investment.

Derelict Land

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what definition of brownfield land is used for the Regional Development Agency's target on the amount of brownfield land that is reclaimed or redeveloped.

Stephen Timms: The regional development agencies use the definition of brownfield land as specified in the Core Outputs Technical Note drawn up by the Office of Project Advice and Training (OffPat), which states that brownfield land
	"includes contaminated, derelict or previously developed land which is or was occupied by a permanent structure (excluding agricultural or forestry buildings), and associated fixed surface infrastructure within the curtilage of the development."
	Details are available on the OffPat website:
	http:/www.offpat.info/

Electricity Generation: Landfill

Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what total amount of electricity was generated in  (a) Scotland and  (b) the UK from landfill gas in each year since its introduction as a fuel for electricity generation.

Malcolm Wicks: The information requested first became available in 1990 and is as follows. Data for Scotland are not separately available before 2000:
	
		
			  GWh 
			   Electricity generated from landfill gas 
			   Scotland  United Kingdom 
			 1990 — 139 
			 1991 — 208 
			 1992 — 377 
			 1993 — 447 
			 1994 — 517 
			 1995 — 562 
			 1996 — 708 
			 1997 — 918 
			 1998 — 1,185 
			 1999 — 1,703 
			 2000 69 2,188 
			 2001 109 2,507 
			 2002 157 2,679 
			 2003 228 3,276 
			 2004 339 4,004 
			 2005 395 4,290 
			 2006 424 4,424 
			  Source: Digest of UK Energy Statistics, 2007, Table 7.1.1 and Energy Trends September 2007 pages 16 to 23 and corresponding articles in September 2003, September 2002 and December 2001.

Estate Agents

Lembit �pik: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform 
	(1)  when he expects the Office of Fair Trading to make a decision on the approved scheme to run an estate agent redress scheme from April 2008;
	(2)  whether he expects the Office of Fair Trading to approve only one scheme to run an estate agent redress scheme from April 2008;
	(3)  how many applications or expressions of interest the Office of Fair Trading has received to run an approved estate agent redress scheme from April 2008.

Gareth Thomas: The OFT will shortly publish the criteria it will use when assessing applications to run a redress scheme together with an invitation for scheme operators to submit applications for approval of their redress scheme. To date there have therefore been no applications or formal expressions of interest.
	Subject to the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) receiving a suitable application to run an estate agents redress scheme, the OFT may be in a position to approve a scheme in late February or early March 2008.
	There is not a pre-determined number of schemes that the OFT is expected to approvethere could be one or more approved schemes.

Farepack: Compensation

Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform if he will make a statement on progress with the assistance offered to those affected by the Farepak collapse; and what  (a) compensation and  (b) restitution they have received.

Gareth Thomas: The Government are entirely sympathetic to the plight of those who lost money in the Farepak collapse. They were strongly supportive of the commendable efforts of the Farepak response fund appeal which raised 8 million from business and members of the public to help those affected.
	It is the central duty of the liquidators to realise as much as possible for the benefit of all of the creditors of the collapsed company. The timing and level of any dividend payment to unsecured creditors (including the agents and customers) is as yet uncertain. On present information, however, the dividend will be approximately five pence in the pound.
	For the future, the Government have taken steps to provide better protection and information for consumers. They have worked with the other hamper companies to put in place greater protection for customers' prepayments, and are pleased to note the initiative of the companies in improving security for consumers' money, which is now held in trust accounts under the control of independent trustees. The arrangements within the individual companies will be monitored by a new trade body, the Christmas Prepayments Association, with a new code of practice to ensure that customer protection measures are established and operated effectively.
	The Government have also given the OFT funding for a consumer education campaign so that consumers are better aware of their options for Christmas savings and empowered to make decisions that are right for their own circumstances.

Farepak: Insolvency

Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what progress has been made by the inquiry set up by his predecessor Department to investigate the Farepak collapse.

Stephen Timms: The investigation will be completed as soon as possible consistent with the need for a thorough enquiry into the matters of concern.
	On completion, the findings will be studied to decide what follow up action is justified.

Ministers

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what the total estimated annual cost is of  (a) expenses,  (b) salary,  (c) office space,  (d) administrative support and  (e) special advisers for the new Minister of State in his Department.

Gareth Thomas: The total estimated annual cost for the new Secretary of State in BERR is 761,259 broken down as follows:
	
		
			
			  (a) Expenses 217,000 
			  (b) Salary 77,000 
			  (c) Office space 28,152 
			  (d) Administrative support 295,107 
			  (e) Special advisers 145,000 
			 Total 761,259

Overseas Trade: Burma

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what advice his Department has issued to British companies undertaking business in Burma.

Gareth Thomas: The Government have a long-standing policy of not encouraging British firms to trade with or invest in Burma. We offer no commercial services or support to companies wishing to trade with or invest in Burma. British companies who inquire about trade with Burma are informed of the grave political situation, the regime's atrocious record on human rights and the country's dire economic prospects.
	They are reminded that the UK is party to the EU's Common Position on Burma, which imposes sanctions on Burma, including a ban on EU companies investing in certain Burmese state-owned companies.

Overseas Trade: Burma

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what monitoring the Government undertakes of British business activities in Burma; and if he will make a statement.

Gareth Thomas: We do follow reports on business activities in Burma produced by the UN, NGOs and other organisations. We monitor the level of UK corporate activities through statistics from Office for National Statistics and Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs, which show that trade with and investment in Burma has fallen in recent years.

Overseas Trade: Maldives

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what the value of  (a) imports and  (b) exports of (i) goods and (ii) services between the Maldives and the United Kingdom was in each of the last 10 years.

Gareth Thomas: (i) Overseas Trade Statistics data for UK trade in goods with the Maldives are shown in the following table:
	
		
			 million 
			   UK imports of goods from the Maldives  UK exports of goods to the Maldives 
			 1997 9.7 7.4 
			 1998 11.2 4.5 
			 1999 5.5 4.9 
			 2000 6.8 5.1 
			 2001 6.4 5.0 
			 2002 7.2 3.0 
			 2003 6.8 5.9 
			 2004 10.5 7.7 
			 2005 11.7 8.9 
			 2006 14.3 6.2 
		
	
	(ii) Data on trade in services are not available for the full 10 years requested. Table 9.13 of the UK Balance of Payments Pink Book 2007 gives the following figures for UK trade in services with the Maldives:
	
		
			 million 
			   UK imports of services from the Maldives  UK exports of services to the Maldives 
			 2005 84 7 
			 2006 92 9

Christmas Savings: Protection

Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what progress has been made on implementing the recommendations of the Pomeroy Review of Christmas hamper savings schemes.

Stephen Timms: There has been substantial progress in implementing the recommendations of the Pomeroy Review of Christmas savings schemes since its publication in March 2007.
	Firstly, the Government have taken steps to provide better protection and information for consumers. They have worked with the other hamper companies to put in place effective protection for customers' prepayments, and are pleased to note the initiative of the companies in improving security for consumers' money, which is now held in trust accounts under the control of independent trustees. The arrangements within the individual companies will be monitored by a new trade body, the Christmas Prepayments Association, with a new code of practice to ensure that customer protection measures are established and operated effectively.
	In response to the recommendation on mounting an awareness campaign, the Government have given the Office of Fair Trading ( OFT) funding for a consumer education campaign so that consumers are better aware of their options for Christmas savings and empowered to make decisions that are right for their own circumstances. The OFT education programme is delivering face-to-face sessions for consumers across the UK. The sessions, run by community groups, explain the options for people and help them to choose the best way to save for them as individuals, pointing out the features of the alternatives. This work is being well received and will continue to be delivered into 2008.
	The OFT were also asked to consider whether there were any competition issues in the hamper scheme market. The OFT examined the merger of Park Group and Home Farm Hampers and found that alternative sources of saving operated as a constraint on the merging parties. This is because the majority of customers are prepared to consider switching between a wide range of savings products. No competition concerns were raised either by competitors or customers.
	As detailed in the review, a number of credit unions across the country have historically also offered Christmas saving accounts, and this number increased significantly after the collapse of Farepak. There are now more than 100 such accounts. The OFT's Save Xmas campaign has provided consumers with information on all Christmas saving options, including credit union Christmas and regular saving accounts. This will ensure consumers have the necessary information to choose the right product for their needs. The Financial Inclusion Taskforce has reported that Post Office Limited's plans to launch a Christmas saving product is progressing.
	The Government's work on financial inclusion and capability has responded to the recommendation that informal saving schemes be given greater emphasis. In addition to the OFT Save Xmas campaign, the Department for Work and Pension's now let's talk money campaign, which provides people with information and support in accessing financial services, is providing guidance on the different ways in which people can save. The Thoresen review on generic financial advice, which will shortly be publishing an interim report, with a final report to follow early next year, is considering the provision of guidance on informal savings. And the FSA's money made clear website also has information on Christmas saving schemes.
	Finally, on the recommendation relating to Government awareness of all methods of savings, the new wealth and assets survey is collecting information on informal saving. Interim findings from the first wave of data collection will be published by the end of the year.

Postal Services: Carbon Emissions

John Gummer: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what estimate he has made of the likely effect on carbon emissions of  (a) the proposed introduction of outreach service points to replace certain post offices branches in (i) the UK and (ii) Suffolk Coastal and  (b) the proposed closure of post offices in (A) the UK and (B) Suffolk Coastal.

Patrick McFadden: No such estimates have been made by my Department. But, in developing its proposals for post office closures and new outreach service points, Post Office Ltd takes into account the Government's access criteria and wider factors relating to accessibility of post office services.

Royal Mail: Strikes

Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what the estimated cost to  (a) Royal Mail and  (b) UK business has been of the recent Royal Mail dispute.

Patrick McFadden: We have not estimated the costs of the dispute. It is clear that the strikes have impacted on business. The Federation of Small Businesses reports that 94 per cent. of small businesses rely on the Royal Mail as their provider of postal services.

Small Businesses: Advisory Services

Mark Prisk: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what estimate his Department has made of planned expenditure on business support and promotion of enterprise for 2007-08 and each financial year to 2010-11.

Stephen Timms: The Department plans to spend the amounts shown in the table on business support and promotion of enterprise in 2007-08. Plans for future years are subject to the normal business planning process following the recent announcement of the Comprehensive Spending Review and the outcome of the Business Support Simplification Programme.
	The amounts shown relate only to those products or services that are funded directly by the Department or are centrally designed but funded through the RDAs' 'single pot' (e.g. the Manufacturing Advisory Service). So, for instance, it excludes regionally designed business support products and schemes as well as expenditure on regional enterprise promotion activities (which are funded from the RDAs' 'single pot'), as this information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	
		
			  Expenditure plans 2007-08 
			  Business support products  Amount ( million) 
			 Small Firms Loan Guarantee Scheme 71.7 
			 Equity Investment Funds (e.g. Enterprise Capital Funds, Regional Venture Capital Funds, Early Growth Funds) 61.0 
			 Sustainable Energy Capital Grants 37.8 
			 Business Performance Diagnostics 1.4 
			 Manufacturing Advisory Servicefunded through RDAs' single pot 6.0 
			 Selective Finance for Investment in England (cases of greater than 2 million) 32 
			 Selective Finance for Investment in England (cases of less than 2 million)funded through RDAs' single pot 66 
			 Promotion of Enterprise includes funding for the National Council for Graduate Entrepreneurship and Enterprise Insight (e.g. the Make Your Mark campaign, Enterprise Week and the Enterprising Britain competition) 6.8

Small Businesses: Regulation

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what measures he is taking to reduce the burden of regulation on small and medium sized businesses.

Patrick McFadden: Government have embarked upon one of the most radical programmes of regulatory reform in the world. For the first time ever, government departments have published rolling simplification programmesoutlining measures to reduce burdens for business. That is why we attach particular importance to better regulation and are committed to reducing the burden of regulation on business by 25 per cent.a total saving across government of 2 billion by 2010, with BERR playing its part, reducing its burden by about 700 million by 2010.

Tradeshow Access Programme

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many applications the Tradeshow Access Programme received in  (a) 2005-06 and  (b) 2006-07; how many it has received in 2007-08; and how many his Department forecasted for the financial year 2007-08.

Gareth Thomas: The number of participants that received financial support at overseas exhibitions under the Tradeshow Access Programme (TAP), or its predecessor Support for Exhibitions and Seminars Abroad (SESA), between the dates requested are as follows:
	
		
			Participants 
			 2005-06 SESA 6,400 
			 2006-07 TAP 4,390 
			 2007-08 TAP (1)3,279 
			 (1) Applications received as of end August 2007, not all of which will result in grant. 
		
	
	The revised forecast for the financial year 2007-08 was to support 3,400 businesses.

Tradeshow Access Programme

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what proportion of the Tradeshow Access programme budget was used by the end of August 2007; how many applications were made in this period; and how many applications have been refused.

Gareth Thomas: By the end of August 2007, the Tradeshow Access programme had commitments which we forecast to result in a spend of 83 per cent. of its revised budget of 8.5 million; this was to fund participations in tradeshow activity throughout the financial year from April 2007 until March 2008 (i.e. not just until end August 2007). The scheme had received 3,279 applications during this period, a figure which will be subject to downward revision following companies dropping out of the scheme. My department has not refused any eligible applications under the scheme. In August 2007, we announced some restrictions in numbers for events in the second half of the year intended to manage demand against the resources available.

Tradeshow Access Programme

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what the total budget was of the Tradeshow Access programme for the financial year  (a) 2005-06,  (b) 2006-07 and  (c) 2007-08.

Gareth Thomas: The total revised budgets for the Tradeshow Access programme in financial year 2006-07 was 10.5 million and for 2007-08 is 8.5 million.
	The Tradeshow Access programme (TAP) was established at the beginning of financial year 2006-07. However, exhibition support prior to this date was covered under a different scheme called Support for Exhibitions and Seminars Abroad (SESA). The comparative budget for 2005-06 was 15.9 million.

Unfair Practices: Competition

John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform 
	(1)  if he will take steps to ensure that a market-dominant vertically integrated business is required to wholesale its channels on a reasonable basis to other retailers;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the level of retail price competition in the pay TV market; and what assessment he has made of the effect of this level on consumers;
	(3)  what his policy is on consumer choice in the pay TV market.

Gareth Thomas: The matter raised is the responsibility of the independent regulator, the Office of Communications (Ofcom), which is accountable to Parliament rather than Ministers. Accordingly, I have asked the chief executive of Ofcom to reply directly to the hon. Member. Copies of the chief executive's letter will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

CHILDREN, SCHOOLS AND FAMILIES

Academies

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many city academies  (a) have been (i) opened and (ii) agreed and  (b) are proposed in each local education authority.

Jim Knight: The Government are firmly committed to establishing 400 academies. There are 47 Academies now open; 35 academy projects have funding agreements with the Secretary of State and are in their implementation phase; and there are 65 proposed projects where the Secretary of State has agreed a formal expression of interest with a sponsor for an academy project. Details are given in the following table. In addition to these, the Department is in discussion with local authorities on a large number of potential projects where no formal expression of interest has yet been agreed.
	
		
			  Local authority  Open  In implementation  In feasibility 
			 Barnet 1  1 
			 Barnsley 1   
			 Bexley 1 -  
			 Birmingham  - 2 
			 Blackburn with Darwen  - 1 
			 Bolton   1 
			 Bradford 1 1 1 
			 Brent 1  1 
			 Brighton and Hove   1 
			 Bristol 1 1 3 
			 Coventry  1 1 
			 Croydon  1 1 
			 Cumbria   2 
			 Darlington  1  
			 Derby 1   
			 Derbyshire   1 
			 Doncaster 1   
			 Ealing 1   
			 Enfield  1  
			 Essex   2 
			 Greenwich 1   
			 Hackney 2 1 2 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 1  1 
			 Haringey 1   
			 Herefordshire   2 
			 Hillingdon 2   
			 Islington  1 1 
			 Kensington and Chelsea  1  
			 Kent 1 4 3 
			 Lambeth 1  1 
			 Lancashire   1 
			 Leeds 1   
			 Leicester  1  
			 Lewisham 2 1  
			 Lincolnshire   3 
			 Liverpool 2 1  
			 Luton  2  
			 Manchester 1 1 6 
			 Merton 2   
			 Middlesbrough 3   
			 Milton Keynes  1  
			 Newcastle  1  
			 Norfolk   1 
			 North East Lincolnshire  2 1 
			 North Lincolnshire   1 
			 Northamptonshire 1 2  
			 Northumberland  1 1 
			 Nottingham, City of 1  2 
			 Nottinghamshire   1 
			 Oxfordshire   2 
			 Peterborough  1  
			 Reading 1   
			 Rochdale  1  
			 Salford 1  1 
			 Sandwell 1 1 3 
			 Sheffield 2   
			 Slough  1  
			 Solihull 1   
			 South Gloucestershire  1  
			 Southwark 4 1 4 
			 St. Helens   1 
			 Staffordshire   1 
			 Stockport  1  
			 Sunderland   3 
			 Swindon   1 
			 Tameside   1 
			 Telford and Wrekin 1  1 
			 Thurrock 1   
			 Waltham Forest 1   
			 Walsall 1   
			 Wandsworth  1  
			 Westminster 2 1  
			 Wiltshire   1

Building Schools for the Future

Ann Coffey: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families if he will revise the criteria for granting Building Schools for the Future capital funding to local education authorities to ensure adequate funding for schools which have an intake of students from deprived areas but which are relatively prosperous local authority areas, with particular reference to Stockport.

Jim Knight: As I set out in my written statement of 10 October 2007,  Official Report, columns 33-38WS, on capital investment in schools, 2008-11, the Government aim to provide a balance of capital programmes that meets national and local needs. The balance of devolved, strategic and targeted programmes ensures that, while we press ahead as fast as possible with our strategic programmes (the Primary Capital Programme and Building Schools for the Future), there is also significant funding available for other areas.
	Overall, there is 21.9 billion capital available over three years for schools. The allocations for Stockport for 2008-11 are given in the following tables.
	
		
			  Stockport schools capital allocation 2008/09 to 2010/11 
			   
			Strategic   Other LA Programmes 
			   Total Devolved Formula Capital  Primary Capital Programme  Modernisation  Basic Need  Schools Access  Extended Schools 
			 2008/09 5,375,173 0 3,413,455 821,431 503,749 425,091 
			 2009/10 5,325,173 3,304,296 3,024,275 821,431 503,749 450,394 
			 2010/11 5,325,173 5,682,296 3,024,275 821,431 503,749 232,788 
			 Total 16,025,518 8,986,592 9,462,004 2,464,292 1,511,247 1,108,272 
		
	
	
		
			   
			   ICT  Locally Co-ordinated VA Programmes   
			   Harnessing Technology  Initial Allocation  Return of Advanced Payment  Nat LCVAP Allocation  Targeted Capital Fund  Total 
			 2008/09 747,434 1,099,680 124,135 975,545 0 12,261,877 
			 2009/10 760,817 1,099,680 124,135 975,545 2,000,000 17,165,679 
			 2010/11 804,444 1,099,680 124,135 975,545 6,000,000 23,369,700 
			 Total 2,312,695 3,299,040 372,405 2,926,636 8,000,000 52,797,256 
		
	
	We are reviewing the operation of waves 7 to 15 of Building Schools for the Future and will be consulting publicly later this year. The key criterion that is emerging for Building Schools for the Future is readiness to deliver, and with the right education vision authorities can put themselves in a good position to accelerate their entry into the programme.

Children: Abuse

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the incidence of sexual abuse of children was in England in each year since 1990; and if he will make a statement.

Kevin Brennan: The Government collect data on children who became the subject of a child protection plan. In the past this meant they had also had their names placed on a local authority child protection register. Arrangements to maintain a separate register are being phased out by 1 April 2008. Figures on the number and percentage of children who became the subject of a child protection plan as a result of sexual abuse are shown in the table for the years ending 31 March 1990 to 2007.
	Up until year ending 31 March 2001 sexual abuse was recorded and could also be identified in cases where concerns about children included a mix of different categories. After that point, local authorities ceased reporting mixed categories separately so figures from year ending 31 March 2002 onwards are only available for registrations and child protection plans that are attributed to sexual abuse as a single category.
	
		
			  Children who became the subject of a child protection plan( 1)  as a result of sexual abuse during the year ending 31 March 1990 to 2007 
			   Sexual abuse (alone)  Total sexual abuse( 2) 
			   Number  Percentage( 3)  Number  Percentage( 3) 
			 2007 2,500 7 n/a n/a 
			 2006 2,600 8 n/a n/a 
			 2005 2,700 9 n/a n/a 
			 2004 2,800 9 n/a n/a 
			 2003 3,000 10 n/a n/a 
			 2002 2,800 10 n/a n/a 
			 2001 3,200 12 4,300 16 
			 2000 3,600 12 5,100 17 
			 1999 4,300 14 5,800 19 
			 1998 4,800 16 6,100 20 
			 1997 4,700 16 6,200 21 
			 1996 4,900 17 6,200 22 
			 1995 6,000 20 7,200 24 
			 1994 6,400 22 7,500 26 
			 1993(4) 5,600 22 6,400 26 
			 1992 3,800 15 4,200 17 
			 1991 3,400 12 3,900 14 
			 1990 3,800 14 4,200 15 
			 n/a = Not available (children ceased to be reported under mixed categories in 2002). (1) A child may be registered more than once during the year. (2) Includes children who have suffered sexual abuse alone in conjunction with other categories of abuse. Children may be counted more than once in these mixed categories. (3) Expressed as a percentage of the total children who became the subject of a child protection plan during the year. (4) The increase in figures reflects the removal of the category 'grave concern'. Children who were at significant risk of abuse but whose situations did not fit the main categories of neglect, physical injury, sexual and emotional abuse were recorded under 'grave concern'. After the removal of this category, these children were re-classified within the main categories including sexual abuse.

Children: Day Care

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many and what proportion of child care providers have designated outdoor space for children as part of their premises.

Kevin Brennan: The information is not collected centrally. We recognise the importance of outdoor play and that regular play opportunities are crucial to a child's growth and development. For example, our guidance on the Early Years Foundation Stage makes clear to providers our expectation that, wherever possible, there should be access to an outdoor play area. Providers without direct access to an outdoor play area will be expected to make daily arrangements for outdoor play in an appropriate nearby location.

Class Sizes: Greater London

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the teacher-pupil ratio was in each London borough in each of the last five years.

Jim Knight: The following table provides the overall pupil teacher ratio within maintained nursery, primary and secondary schools in local authority areas within London, January 2003 to 2007.
	
		
			  Overall( 1)  Pupil/Teacher ratios by local authority area within London 
			   2003  2004  2005  2006  2007 
			 England 17.9 17.7 17.4 17.2 17.1 
			 London 17.2 17.2 16.8 16.7 16.6 
			 Camden 15.9 15.7 16.0 15.6 15.2 
			 City of London 11.9 14.3 14.3 16.2 16.7 
			 Hackney 16.3 16.2 15.5 15.8 14.8 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 16.4 16.3 15.7 16.0 16.5 
			 Haringey 17.3 17.5 16.5 16.5 16.8 
			 Islington 16.9 16.3 16.1 15.9 15.7 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 15.0 16.0 15.9 15.5 15.5 
			 Lambeth 17.2 16.9 15.8 16.4 15.9 
			 Lewisham 16.7 17.1 17.4 17.7 17.7 
			 Newham 18.1 17.0 17.1 16.5 16.5 
			 Southwark 17.1 17.4 17.4 17.3 16.7 
			 Tower Hamlets 16.0 16.4 16.2 15.8 15.3 
			 Wandsworth 16.7 16.5 16.1 16.3 16.0 
			 Westminster 14.4 14 7 13.4 15.7 15.1 
			 Barking and Dagenham 18.0 17.2 17.8 17.7 17.4 
			 Barnet 16.3 16.7 16.6 16.4 16.8 
			 Bexley 18.7 18.9 19.5 18.5 18.1 
			 Brent 16.8 16.7 15.6 16.1 15.9 
			 Bromley 18.0 18.0 17.4 17.1 16.9 
			 Croydon 16.9 17.0 16.2 17.4 17.7 
			 Ealing 17.9 18.1 17.6 17.8 17.7 
			 Enfield 16.8 16.8 16.4 16.1 16.3 
			 Greenwich 16.5 16.7 16.3 15.7 15.2 
			 Harrow 17.9 17.8 17.5 16.9 16.4 
			 Havering 17.2 17.0 17.1 16.3 16.6 
			 Hillingdon 18.8 17.5 17.0 16.8 16.6 
			 Hounslow 17.3 16.5 16.0 16.0 16 1 
			 Kingston upon Thames 17.7 17.8 17.5 17.5 17.3 
			 Merton 178 19.0 18.1 18,3 18.6 
			 Redbridge 18.0 17.8 18.1 17.2 17.2 
			 Richmond upon Thames 17.8 18.6 18.6 17.9 19.0 
			 Sutton 17.6 18.5 17.9 17.5 17.0 
			 Waltham Forest 18.4 17.5 17.0 16.9 16.8 
			 (1) The overall PTR is based on the total FTE number of pupils on roll in local authority maintained nursery, primary and secondary schools and the FTE of all teachers in these schools (including: centrally employed; occasional teachers; those on employment based routes to QTS; others without QTS, those on paid absence and any replacements). Source: School Census (Pupils numbers) and 618G Survey (Teacher numbers)

Curriculum: First Aid

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families if he will include the teaching of first aid within the national curriculum; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: holding answer 10 October 2007
	There is already scope in the non-statutory Personal Social and Health Education (PSHE) framework for schools to explore safety and emergency procedures as part of the curriculum. At key stages 2 and 3, the framework suggests pupils should be taught
	basic emergency procedures and where to get help and support.
	At key stage 4 pupils should be taught to
	develop skills to cope with emergency situations that require basic aid procedures, including resuscitation techniques.
	Basic and emergency aid will continue to be part of the non-statutory framework when the new secondary curriculum is introduced from September 2008.

Departments: ICT

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many new  (a) laptops,  (b) mobile telephones and  (c) personal digital assistant devices his Department and its predecessors have bought for the use of departmental Ministers following each Cabinet reshuffle since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

Kevin Brennan: The information is not held centrally and can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Education Maintenance Allowance: Qualifications

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  how many pupils who received the education maintenance allowance gained qualifications in 2006, broken down by type of qualification gained;
	(2)  pursuant to the answer of 30 October 2007,  Official Report, column 210W, how many pupils who received the education maintenance allowance while studying for A-levels completed their course of study, broken down by number of A-levels being taken by individual students;
	(3)  how many pupils who received the education maintenance allowance gained A-levels in 2006, broken down by  (a) grade and  (b) subject;
	(4)  how many pupils who received the education maintenance allowance completed their course of study since inception of the allowance, broken down by qualification sought;
	(5)  how many pupils who received the education maintenance allowance who were studying for A-Levels in  (a) mathematics,  (b) English language or literature,  (c) physics,  (d) chemistry,  (e) biology,  (f) a modern language and  (g) another subject (i) completed their course of study and (ii) gained a qualification since inception of the allowance.

Jim Knight: The Learning and Skills Council (LSG) is responsible for the operation of the education maintenance allowance (EMA) scheme. The LSC do not analyse attainment of EMA recipients by subject area or grade as the costs of extracting the data would be disproportionate to the benefits. However, an analysis of the impact of EMA on participation and attainment has been commissioned by the LSC. The results of this analysis have been delayed due to data availability issues and are now due to be published in November 2007. A copy of these reports, with a summary of key findings, will be placed in the House Library when they are published.

Education: Citizenship

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  what contribution his Department made to the National Foundation for Education Research's Citizenship Education Longitudinal Study; what steps he intends to take in response to its conclusions; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the statutory citizenship courses in schools.

Jim Knight: The Department has provided 1.57 million to fund the National Foundation for Education Research's nine year longitudinal study into citizenship education due to be completed in November 2009. The findings from this study and the Ofsted Citizenship report Towards Consensus? Citizenship in secondary schools (2006) have helped to shape policy in this area. Both reports found that whilst remaining patchy in some areas, progress has been made in citizenship provision and it is adequate or better in 75 per cent. of schools. The Department has funded a self evaluation tool for schools to enable them to strengthen their citizenship provision.
	Both reports point to teacher training continuing to be needed. We are addressing this issue both through providing places for initial teacher training (200 per year) and through the citizenship continuing professional development certificate (1200 teachers over the next two years).

Education: Citizenship

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the number of teachers teaching citizenship who have not received citizenship-related training;
	(2)  what plans he has to recruit and retain teachers who specialise in teaching citizenship.

Jim Knight: The Department does not monitor all training courses undertaken by teachers, for example those provided by local authorities and commercial providers. We have made available over 200 ITT places per year for the last five years, and the published a CPD handbook for use by citizenship teachers. The Department has also supported a national dissemination effort to provide training on use of the handbook. Additionally, we are funding 1,200 citizenship continuing professional development (CPD) places in higher education institutions over 2006-07 and 2007-08 to enable citizenship teachers to broaden and deepen their subject knowledge. The CPD course will be evaluated by Ofsted. We continue to support the Association of Citizenship Teachers and work with a range of organisations to provide resources and support for teachers.

Education: Languages

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what guidance he has given to local education authorities on teaching foreign languages; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: We have not issued formal guidance to local authorities on teaching languages but we have produced a range of guidance and support materials for schools which are disseminated to local authority language advisers through our networksincluding the key stage 2 framework for languages and new schemes of work for primary schools. We have allocated 27.5 million funding to local authorities to support the delivery of primary languages in 2007-08 and the National Director for Languages wrote to each local authority with suggested models for using this funding.
	The Secondary National Strategy and CILT, the National Centre for Languages have worked with local authorities to create 355 networks of secondary schools which are building on the key stage 3 framework guidance to raise achievement and improve teaching and learning at KS3.

Education: Languages

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many schools in each London constituency offer tuition in  (a) Cantonese and  (b) Mandarin; and whether he has any plans to put Cantonese and Mandarin on the National Curriculum.

Jim Knight: The information requested on numbers of schools offering Mandarin and Cantonese is not available broken down by constituency. However, research conducted earlier this year for the Department by CILT, the National Centre for Languages showed that around 7-8 per cent. of all maintained secondary schools in England were providing some Mandarin teaching.
	The National Curriculum for Modern Foreign Languages does not prescribe which languages schools should offer, However, from September 2008, the requirement that pupils at Key Stage 3 (ages 11-14) must first study a working language of the European Union will be lifted so that schools will be able to teach any major European or world language. Examples given in the new programme of study include Mandarin, although the choice of language is for schools to determine.
	The national languages strategy set out an entitlement for all Key Stage 2 (7-11 year old) pupils to learn a language in class time by 2010. Schools can choose which languages they teach; including Mandarin and Cantonese. Research carried out by the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) into language teaching in primary schools found that 1 per cent. of responding schools in London were teaching Chinese.

Examinations: Children

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what representations he has received on the number of educational tests and examinations that children and young people are required to sit; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: The Department receives representations from stakeholders, in particular pupils and parents, about the numbers of tests and examinations which pupils are required to take. There are statutory assessments of each pupil's progress and attainment at the end of key stages 1, 2 and 3, In key stage 1, pupils are set at least one task in each of reading, writing and mathematics. Tasks can be taken at any time and enable teachers to be secure in their judgment of which level the child has reached. Assessment at key stages 2 and 3 involves tests in English, mathematics and science, and teacher assessments. Although there are no statutory requirements for assessment at the end of key stage 4, approximately 96 per cent. of 15-year-olds are entered for one or more full GCSE courses each year. The tests and examinations taken at the end of each key stage do not amount to an excessive burden on pupils or schools. For example, the key stage 2 tests amount to less than six hours, accounting for around 0.15 per cent. of available teaching time in the key stage, and the key stage 3 tests amount to less than eight hours, accounting for less than 0.2 per cent. of available teaching time in the key stage.
	These tests and examinations provide objective and reliable measures of the standards secured by pupils at crucial stages in their development, and equip us with the best data possible to support our education system. In addition to assessment at the end of each key stage, schools monitor pupils' performance during each key stage and it is for each school to decide whether to use tests as part of their monitoring arrangements.

Foster Care

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of local authority collection of information about informal fostering of children.

Kevin Brennan: holding answer 15 October 2007
	The Department has not assessed the effectiveness of the collection by local authorities of information about private fostering since this collection was introduced for the year ending 31 March 2005.

General Certificate of Secondary Education: Citizenship

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families if he will introduce a full GCSE qualification in citizenship.

Jim Knight: New subject criteria for GCSE Citizenship Studies are being developed and will shortly be published by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority. The new criteria will reflect the revised secondary curriculum and will enable full course GCSEs to be developed by awarding bodies for first teaching in 2009. There is a short-course GCSE in Citizenship Studies which is the fastest growing GCSE. There were 73,142 entries for the GCSE in 2007an increase of nearly 19,000 on 2006 entries.

General Certificate of Secondary Education A Level: Mathematics

Boris Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many and what percentage of pupils from  (a) independent,  (b) maintained and  (c) grammar schools received a grade A in two of Mathematics, Further Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available.

Jim Knight: The information requested is not readily available and can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

General Certificate of Secondary Education: Standards

Martin Linton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the most improved secondary school was in terms of the GCSE five A*-C score measure between 1999 and 2007; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: Data for 2007 are not yet available, 2006 data have been used instead. For maintained schools, Phoenix High School, in Hammersmith and Fulham had the largest increase in the percentage getting 5 A*-C at GCSE between 1999 and 2006. The number of 15-year-old pupils(1) achieving 5 + A*-C at GCSE increased from 4 per cent. to 77 per cent. Only schools with a cohort size of 10 or more in both years were included in the analysis.
	(1 )Aged 15 on the 31 August

Politics: Curriculum

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families if he will take steps to support  (a) hon. Members,  (b) Parliament's Education Service and  (c) local authorities in the contributions that they make to the teaching in schools of the political literacy strand of the citizenship curriculum.

Jim Knight: The Department has funded a number of initiatives to promote political literacy through citizenship and to support MPs that wish to be more involved in schools. Working with the Hansard Society and the parliamentary education unit, we have supported the development of the MPs in Schools pack, which prepares pupils for a visit from their local MP. The Hansard Society, with DCSF backing, has also developed the Headsup website, an online forum that assists teachers in delivering political literacy, and also MPs who can use it to consult with their younger constituents; the Big Ben and All That! teaching resource, which gives teachers and pupils an inside view of Westminster through interviews with MPs and Peers as well as archived footage from Parliament; and Y Vote Mock Elections, which aim to actively engage students with the electoral process. DCSF has also funded a programme of MP mentoring, where MPs work directly with trainee citizenship teachers to help them with their knowledge of Parliament so that they can teach the political literacy element of citizenship with confidence. In addition, DCSF set up and funded the Association for Citizenship Teaching (ACT) to work with teachers and local authorities to provide training and help to spread good practice.

Pupil Exclusions

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families which are the 200 schools with the highest number of permanent and temporary exclusions over the last 10 years.

Kevin Brennan: A list of the 200 schools with the highest number of permanent exclusions for the years 1997/98, 2000/01, 2003/04, 2004/05 and 2005/06 has been placed in the Library.
	Only three years of data relating to fixed period exclusions are currently available. The first year for which information on fixed period exclusions is available relates to the 2003/04 academic year. Due to underlying changes in the data collection, information on fixed period exclusions is not available for maintained primary and special schools for 2005/06. A list of the 200 schools with the highest numbers of fixed period exclusions in 2003/04, 2004/05 and 2005/06 has also been placed in the Library,
	The lists of schools which have been provided here do not necessarily relate to schools with the highest rates of exclusions.

Pupils: Citizenship

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what plans he has to enable schools to assist students to get involved in their communities, particularly through volunteering, as part of the citizenship curriculum.

Jim Knight: The revised Citizenship curriculum at Key stages 3 and 4 provides that pupils should have opportunities to
	participate in different forms of individual and collective action, including decision-making and campaigning and participate in both school-based and community-based citizenship activities.
	Additionally, Over the next three years, v the independent charity launched to implement the recommendations of the Russell Commission, will be investing over 70 million in a new framework for youth action and engagement through its recently announced National Youth Volunteering Programme (NYVP). This programme will not only fund new opportunities, but it will also create a v presence in every local authority area in England, working with local organisations to deliver high quality volunteering placements. It will also establish a framework for the recognition and accreditation of youth volunteering opportunities, so that young people who give up their time for the benefit of their communities will have their achievements acknowledged and celebrated.

Pupils: Mathematics

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what plans he has to allow pupils who have not mastered basic numeracy skills  (a) to have extra tuition and  (b) not to be required to take GCSE in mathematics.

Jim Knight: The Department is planning two separate, but related one-to-one tuition programmes, which are designed to raise standards in mathematics:
	one-to-one tuition to help 300,000 children who have fallen behind in mathematics by 2010-11. We are currently planning how this should be delivered and will use lessons learned from the tuition element of the Making Good Progress pilot, and from other existing individual intervention programmes, to inform this.
	'Every Child Counts' (ECC), a more intensive initiative specifically designed for intervention in mathematics during Key Stage 1, which will be a counterpart to 'Every Child a Reader' (ECAR).
	Under the Making Good Progress pilot we are offering up to 10 hours of one to one tuition in mathematics for pupils who are behind, or at risk of falling behind, national expectations. Tuition will be delivered outside school hours by fully qualified teachers working in partnership with the class teacher.
	ECC, set to start in 2010, will be aimed at children whose attainment as six-year-olds shows they are failing to make expected progress for their age. In Year 2, they will get intensive support in half hour sessions each day from teachers, mostly provided one-to-one, but also through group work.
	We are investing 144 million over the next three years into rolling out nationally ECAR and ECC and by 2011 30,000 seven-year-olds who need help with mathematics will benefit from the programme each year. We are working with the charitable KPMG Foundation on this programme.
	Mathematics is a compulsory subject at Key Stage 4. It is not compulsory for students to be entered for the GCSE, though achievement in GCSE mathematics is an important gateway to opportunities for further study and employment and we therefore expect the vast majority of young people to be entered for it. As part of our 14-19 reform programme we have developed new functional skills standards at entry level and levels 1 and 2 in mathematics which will be incorporated into all qualification routes (GCSE, Diplomas and Apprenticeships) and will also form the basis of freestanding qualifications. The freestanding qualifications will provide opportunities for achievement and progression in mathematics for those young people for whom a GCSE might not be the most appropriate option at the end of Key Stage 4.

Pupils: Truancy

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  how many pupils took unauthorised absences at least once in each of the last five school years;
	(2)  how much the Government have spent on anti-truancy measures since 1997.

Kevin Brennan: The pupil numbers requested are shown in the following table.
	
		
			   Number of day pupils of compulsory school age  Unauthorised absence number of pupils with at least one session missed 
			 2002 7,188,176 1,169,252 
			 2003 7,118,701 1,231,927 
			 2004 7,166,992 1,306,145 
			 2005 7,077,373 1,428.590 
			 2006 7,026,910 1,431,482 
		
	
	Unauthorised absence is absence without leave from a teacher or other authorised representative of the school. This includes ail unexplained or unjustified absences, such as lateness, holidays during term time not authorised by the school, absence where reason is not yet established and other unauthorised absence.
	On the cost of attendance measures, I refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 23 July 2007,  Official Report column 894W, to the hon. Member for Yeovil (Mr. Laws).

School Milk

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  how many schools have taken up the EU school milk subsidy scheme in each constituency;
	(2)  how many school children are eligible for the EU school milk subsidy scheme.

Kevin Brennan: This Department does not collect the information requested. Local authorities are not obliged to provide milk, but where they do so they must provide it free of charge to pupils entitled to receive a free school lunch. They are also free to make use of the EU school milk subsidy scheme, which reduces the cost of whole milk and semi-skimmed milk purchased.
	The Rural Payments Agency, a DEFRA executive agency, is responsible for the administration of the EU subsidy scheme in Britain, It provides advice online, in response to individual requests and via its helpline to those schools and local authorities which choose to participate in the scheme, including how to apply for the payment of subsidy.

Schools: Admissions

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what percentage of secondary school pupils in each London borough secured a place at their parents'  (a) first,  (b) second and  (c) third choice of secondary school in each academic year since 1997.

Jim Knight: We do not currently hold these data However, my officials are currently consulting on draft regulations which will enable us to have this information in future. The consultation document is available on the DCSF website at:
	www.dcsf.gov.uk/consultations/conDetails.cfm?consulationld=1506

Schools: Construction

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families if he will make it his policy to require all major new-build for schools to meet a minimum BREEAM rating of excellent in accordance with the Common Minimum Standards; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: The Department currently has no plans to require new-build schools to meet a minimum BREEAM rating of excellent. We have adapted the Building Research Establishment's Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) for schools and since 2005 it has been our requirement that major school building projects achieve a minimum BREEAM rating of 'very good'. This is a challenging but achievable target.
	The Department is funding demonstration schemes that will achieve a BREEAM schools rating of 'excellent' and we have commissioned a study to investigate the potential implications of raising the target to 'excellent'. The outcomes of these initiatives will inform future policy.
	The Department has also allocated 110 million over the next three years to test the aim of reducing carbon emissions by 60 per cent. in new schools built in Building Schools for the Future and the Academies programme. Around 200 schools will benefit from the additional investment.

Schools: Finance

Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families if he will rescind his policy requiring all schools to repay five per cent of any surplus carried forward from the financial year 2006-07; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: The Government believe it right to take action to reduce the total of schools' revenue balances which more than doubled from 740 million to nearly 1.6 billion between 1999-2000 and 2005-06. This is taxpayers' money voted by Parliament for the education of the pupils in schools in the year in question and it should not be steadily accumulating in schools' bank accounts.
	The Department is consulting on the detailed implementation of the proposal to require local authorities to redistribute 5 per cent. of all surplus revenue balances locally, as part of consultation on the draft school finance regulations for 2008. Consultation closes on 26 October and I will announce our final decisions after taking careful account of the responses received.

Schools: Sports

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many and what proportion of secondary schools offer at least  (a) two hours and  (b) five hours of supervised sport for pupils in years 7, 8 and 9 each week.

Kevin Brennan: Information is not collected in the format requested. The 2006/07 School Sport Survey collected data from all maintained schools in England about the percentage of pupils who take part in at least two hours high quality PE and school sport each week. The results of the survey are being published today. They show that 92 per cent. of pupils in year 7 are taking part in at least two hours high quality PE and sport each week. For year 8 pupils, the figure is 91 per cent., and for year 9 pupils, the figure is 86 per cent.
	Data on take-up of five hours of sport are not collected centrally.
	Copies of the results of the survey are being placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Secondary Education: Curriculum

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families why it was decided not to make reference to  (a) knowledge and  (b) culture in the aims of the review of the secondary curriculum as set out in the draft summary of findings document.

Jim Knight: In the draft summary of the findings document, the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority stated that one of the aims of the secondary review was to help schools refresh and renew their curriculum by
	embedding the curriculum aims to help pupils become successful learners, confident individuals and responsible citizens.
	The curriculum aims are described in more detail within the new secondary curriculum, where explicit references are made to knowledge and culture. For example, included in the definition of 'Successful Learners' are our expectations that successful learners should:
	have the essential learning skills of literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology;
	have inquiring minds and think for themselves to process information, reason, question and evaluate;
	know about big ideas and events that shape our world.
	All of these outcomes rely on knowledge acquisition.
	Under the heading of 'Confident Individuals', the curriculum aims state that confident pupils will be
	open to the excitement and inspiration offered by the natural world and human achievements.
	This is intended to include cultural achievements.
	More specifically, under the heading of 'Responsible Citizens', the aims state that responsible citizens should
	understand their own and others' cultures and traditions, within the context of British heritage.

Stockwell Park School: Swimming Pools

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families for what reason the Building Schools for the Future proposal for the new Stockwell Park School in Lambeth does not include a replacement for the existing swimming pool; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: BSF funding is allocated formulaically, based on pupil numbers and DCSF area guidelines for secondary schools ('BB98'). Within BB98 swimming pools are not considered to be part of the core school facilities which DCSF fund.
	It is for each local authority to decide how to make the best use of its overall BSF funding allocation across the schools in a particular project and the scope of works at each school. An authority can choose to use some of its BSF allocation to refurbish an existing pool where it considers this to be the best use of the available funding. There is also the option of exploring other sources of funding (e.g. DCMS/Sport England) to supplement that from BSF.
	Lambeth council took the view that using funding to replace the pool at Stockwell Park would not represent good value for money. Other, better, facilities are available locally and swimming pools require significant investment, not just of capital funding but also of revenue to support the considerable ongoing running costscosts which were unlikely to be recouped in this case through community use.

Teachers: Lancashire

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many  (a) teachers and  (b) classroom assistants work in schools in (i) Chorley and (ii) Lancashire; and what the equivalent figures were in 1997.

Jim Knight: The following table provides the full-time equivalent number of teachers and teaching assistants employed in local authority maintained schools in Chorley constituency and Lancashire local authority in January 1997 and 2007.
	
		
			  Full-time equivalent teachers arid teaching assistants employed in local authority maintained schools in Chorley constituency and Lancashire local authority, January 1997 and 2007 
			   1997  2007 
			   Teachers( 1)  Teaching assistants( 2)  Teachers( 1)  Teaching assistants( 2) 
			 Chorley 810 100 890 320 
			 Lancashire(3) n/a n/a 9,840 4,070 
			 n/a = not available (1) Qualified and unqualified teachers. (2) Teaching assistants include teaching assistants, special needs support staff and minority ethnic pupil support staff. (3) Lancashire local authority was reorganised in 1999 and therefore 1997 figures are not comparable with 2007.  Note: Figures are rounded to the nearest 10.  Source: School Census and the Annual survey of teachers in service and teacher vacancies, 618g (Lancashire LA teacher numbers)

Written Questions

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families when he will answer question 148140, on the Building Schools for the Future programme, tabled on 3 July by the hon. Member for Bognor Regis and Littlehampton.

Jim Knight: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on 15 October 2007,  Official Report, column 866W.

Youth Citizenship Forum

David Burrowes: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  when he expects the Youth Citizenship Forum to meet;
	(2)  whether his Department will have lead responsibility for the Youth Citizenship Forum.

Kevin Brennan: I assume the hon. Member's question refers to the Youth Citizenship Commission. The Commission will be launched this autumn. It will report to the Prime Minister, the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, and the Secretary of State for Justice. The Commission will be supported by a small Secretariat, based at the Department for Children, Schools and Families.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Afghanistan: Co-ordination

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the case for appointing an International Coordinator for Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: The UK was instrumental in the adoption of the Afghanistan Compact, which recognises the central co-ordinating role exercised by the UN. We have long supported the need for the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General to provide effective co-ordination for the international community's effort in Afghanistan and continue to do so.

Alexander Litvinenko

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress has been made in Government efforts to seek the extradition from Russia of Mr Andrei Lugovoy in connection with the murder of Mr Alexander Litvinenko.

David Miliband: Since I made my statement to the House on 16 July 2007,  Official Report, columns 21-22 on a package of measures in response to Russia's failure to extradite Andrei Lugovoy, I have raised the matter on a number of occasions both with my Russian counterpart and with other partners. We continue to demand the Russian authorities co-operate with the Crown Prosecution Service's request for the extradition of Mr. Lugovoy so that he can stand trial in the UK.

Andrei Lugovoy: Extradition

Mark Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions have taken place between his Department and the Russian Government on the extradition of Andrei Lugovoy; what recent progress has occurred on the matter; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Murphy: I refer the hon. Member to the reply my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary gave to the right hon. Member for Richmond, Yorks (Mr. Hague) today (UIN 157529).

Arab League

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he plans to attend the next meeting of the Arab League.

Kim Howells: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary currently has no plans to attend the next meeting of the Arab League.

BBC External Services: Finance

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the planned  (a) near cash departmental expenditure limit,  (b) non-cash departmental expenditure limit and  (c) capital departmental expenditure limit is for the (i) BBC World Service and (ii) British Council for financial years 2008-09 to 2010-11.

Jim Murphy: The British Council and BBC World Service (BBCWS) are not given separate departmental expenditure limits but are included in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's (FCO) limits as ring-fenced amounts.
	The BBCWS grant-in-aid limit will be 234,043 million, 241,043 million and 240,043 million per annum between financial years (FYs) 2008-09 and 2010-11 (not including capital). It does not have a non-cash departmental limit as it is treated as public corporation. Its capital grant for the period in question will be 31 million per annum.
	The British Council's grant-in-aid limit will be 188,003 million, 193,003 million and 189,003 million per annum between FYs 2008-09 and 2010-11 (not including capital). It does not have a non-cash departmental limit as it is treated as public corporation. Its capital grant for the period in question will be 7.8 million per annum for the period in question.

Burma: Arms Trade

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the impact of the EU arms embargo on the  (a) sale and  (b) re-sale of military equipment and technology from EU member states to the Burmese regime.

Kim Howells: The EU annual report for 2006 listed only three military related sales to Burma from the EU. Those three items were from the UK. However, all these items were deemed to fall outside the EU Ban and with a full explanation given in the UK strategic export controls annual report of 2006. The items were pharmaceutical equipment, an armoured four-wheel drive vehicle for our embassy in Rangoon and hydrophones.
	The EU Common Position includes a ban on all arms sales to Burma, directly or indirectly. Any act to breach this ban knowingly would be illegal. However, if we subsequently learn that military products or components are re-exported to Burma, we would make representations to the relevant foreign government.
	My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister, in his statement issued on 15 October, said that we would review the implementation of the embargo with our partners to address any risk that arms or their components might be diverted or re-exported to Burma.

Burma: Politics and Government

Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last met his Indian and Chinese counterparts to discuss the situation in Burma.

Jim Murphy: We have had intensive contact about Burma recently with international partners, including China and India. Most recently my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary discussed Burma with the Indian Minister for External Affairs on 3 October and the Chinese Foreign Minister on 29 September. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister raised the situation in Burma with Prime Minister Singh on 11 October.

Burma: Politics and Government

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  whether a further date has been set by the UN Security Council to discuss the situation in Burma following its discussions on 5 October 2007; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  pursuant to his statement of 15 October 2007, what further measures he expects the UN Security Council to consider taking against Burma if it does not take clear steps towards the return of democracy.

Kim Howells: The UN Security Council remains focused on the situation in Burma. The UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy Ibrahim Gambari has returned to the region and will return to Burma shortly. We would expect the Security Council to review progress in the light of Professor Gambari's further visit.
	On 15 October my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister made a statement welcoming the UN Security Council's statement on Burma and making clear that the Burmese regime must end the violence, release political detainees and take clear steps towards the return of democracy. He also said that the Security Council should meet again to review progress made in Burma. If progress is insufficient, the council will need to consider further measures. We shall discuss possible further measures with our Security Council partners.

Chevening Scholarships Programme

Nick Hurd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many Chevening scholarships were awarded in each year since 1997, broken down by country of origin of recipients.

Jim Murphy: Details for the eight academic years from 1998/99 to 2005/06 are given in the Chevening Programme Annual Report for each year. The reports are available at:
	http://www.chevening.com/about/reports/.
	They will also be placed in the Library of the House. There was no Annual Report for 1997/98, but the details for that year are provided in the following table below. For information on academic year 2006/07 I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Chelmsford West (Mr. Burns) on 16 October 2007,  Official Report, columns 996-999W.
	
		
			  Country  1997-98 scholars 
			 Albania 4 
			 Algeria 12 
			 Angola 3 
			 Antigua 1 
			 Argentina 24 
			 Armenia 4 
			 Australia 20 
			 Austria 2 
			 Azerbaijan 5 
			 Bahamas 5 
			 Bahrain 11 
			 Bangladesh 5 
			 Barbados 6 
			 Belarus 7 
			 Belgium 8 
			 Belize 3 
			 Bolivia 3 
			 Bosnia 7 
			 Botswana 2 
			 Brazil 64 
			 Bulgaria 8 
			 Burma 3 
			 Cambodia 3 
			 Cameroon 3 
			 Canada 10 
			 Cayman Islands 2 
			 Chile 8 
			 China 86 
			 China (Hong Kong) 50 
			 Colombia 15 
			 Costa Rica 8 
			 Cote D'Ivoire 3 
			 Croatia 6 
			 Cuba 4 
			 Cyprus 21 
			 Czech Republic 11 
			 Denmark 12 
			 Dominican Republic 5 
			 Ecuador 4 
			 Egypt 63 
			 El Salvador 3 
			 Eritrea 2 
			 Estonia 6 
			 Ethiopia 6 
			 Fiji 5 
			 Finland 4 
			 France 20 
			 Gambia 1 
			 Georgia 6 
			 Germany 16 
			 Ghana 10 
			 Greece 6 
			 Guatemala 3 
			 Guyana 4 
			 Haiti 2 
			 Honduras 1 
			 Hungary 14 
			 Iceland 9 
			 India 89 
			 Indonesia 62 
			 Ireland 11 
			 Israel 34 
			 Italy 13 
			 Jamaica 4 
			 Japan 6 
			 Jordan 28 
			 Kazakhstan 8 
			 Kenya 11 
			 Korean Republic 63 
			 Kuwait 5 
			 Latvia 6 
			 Lebanon 6 
			 Lesotho 4 
			 Lithuania 8 
			 Luxembourg 10 
			 Macedonia 5 
			 Madagascar 3 
			 Malawi 7 
			 Malaysia 82 
			 Maldives Islands 1 
			 Malta 9 
			 Mauritania 1 
			 Mauritius 4 
			 Mexico 79 
			 Mongolia 5 
			 Morocco 10 
			 Mozambique 4 
			 Namibia 1 
			 Nepal 6 
			 Netherlands 13 
			 New Zealand 9 
			 Nicaragua 1 
			 Nigeria 44 
			 Norway 13 
			 Oman 7 
			 Pakistan 59 
			 Palestine 18 
			 Papua New Guinea 4 
			 Paraguay 2 
			 Peru 11 
			 Philippines 19 
			 Poland 15 
			 Portugal 12 
			 Romania 12 
			 Russia 22 
			 Rwanda 3 
			 Saudi Arabia 12 
			 Senegal 4 
			 Seychelles 3 
			 Siena Leone 2 
			 Singapore 10 
			 Slovakia 10 
			 Slovenia 7 
			 Solomon Islands 1 
			 South Africa 26 
			 Sri Lanka 2 
			 St. Vincent and Grenadines 1 
			 Sudan 14 
			 Swaziland 2 
			 Sweden 7 
			 Switzerland 7 
			 Syria 15 
			 Taiwan 17 
			 Tanzania 8 
			 Thailand 29 
			 Tonga 2 
			 Trinidad and Tobago 3 
			 Tunisia 6 
			 Turkey 129 
			 Turks and Caicos Islands 1 
			 Tuvalu 1 
			 Uganda 5 
			 Ukraine 13 
			 United Arab Emirates 2 
			 Uruguay 4 
			 Uzbekistan 10 
			 Venezuela 20 
			 Vietnam 14 
			 Yemen 12 
			 Yugoslavia 6 
			 Zambia 6 
			 Zimbabwe 13 
			 Total 1,912

Cyprus

Rudi Vis: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his policy is on the full reopening of the town of Famagusta; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Murphy: Any agreement on the future of the closed town of Varosha and the ongoing division of the island is only likely to be resolved through a comprehensive settlement acceptable to both sides and brokered by the UN. We continue to urge both sides to show the political will and flexibility to bridge the gap between words and deeds, and to engage constructively with the UN's efforts to broker a comprehensive and durable settlement.

Cyprus

Rudi Vis: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Mayor of Famagusta Mr. Alexis Galanos on his campaign to see the full reopening of the town of Famagusta; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Murphy: Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials have met with the Mayor of Famagusta in both Cyprus and the UK and received details of his campaign. My right hon. Friend the Member for Enfield, North (Joan Ryan), in her role as Special Representative to Cyprus, also met Alexis Galanos during her recent visit to Cyprus, In their discussions, they emphasised the importance of a UN process leading to a comprehensive and durable settlement of benefit to all Cypriots.

Departments: General Elections

Daniel Rogerson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what contingency preparations his Department made for the possibility of a general election in autumn 2007; and what the costs were of those preparations.

Jim Murphy: I refer the hon. Member to the reply my right hon. Friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (Edward Miliband) gave to him on 15 October 2007,  Official Report, columns 822-23W.

Departments: Internet

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many websites his Department operates; how many it operated at 1 January 2005; and what the estimated annual cost has been of running his Department's websites in the last five years.

Jim Murphy: As at the end of August 2007, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office had responsibility for 220 websites under five main Uniform Resource Locators; www.fco.gov.uk, www.britishembassy.gov.uk: www.britishhighcommission.gov.uk; www.ukvisas.gov.uk; www.i-UK.com. At 1 January 2005 the department operated 202 websites, including foreign language versions. The estimated annual cost over the last five years to run these websites is 700,000.

Departments: Internet

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many hits the  (a) most popular and  (b) least popular website run by his Department has received since 1 January 2007.

Jim Murphy: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office's most popular website since January 2007 has been www.fco.gov.uk, which received 7,060,766 visitors. The least popular website has been Vanuatu's Post website, with 764 visitors.

Departments: Ministers

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the total estimated annual cost is of  (a) expenses,  (b) salary,  (c) office space,  (d) administrative support and  (e) special advisers for the Minister of State for Africa, Asia and the UN.

Jim Murphy: The estimated annual cost of the office space for my noble Friend the Minister for Africa, Asia and the UN, Lord Malloch-Brown, is 50,967.10, similar to that incurred in the previous year. This figure includes management fees, business rates, tax and the cost of utilities. Based on average earnings, the estimated cost of administrative support, which is the combined salaries of five staff, is 192,581. Administrative costs for the previous year are estimated at 186,322.
	Details of ministerial salaries are available in the Library of the House and at: http://wwwcivil service.gov.uk/other/parliamentary/pay/ministerial/index.asp. The Minister does not have a special adviser.
	Like all Foreign and Commonwealth Office Ministers, Lord Malloch-Brown will have travel and other expenses associated with performing his ministerial duties. Since 1999, the Government have published on an annual basis, a list of all overseas visits by Cabinet Ministers costing in excess of 500, as well as the total cost of all ministerial travel overseas. Copies of the lists are available in the Library of the House. All travel is undertaken in accordance with the Civil Service Management Code and the Ministerial Code.

Departments: Official Hospitality

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much was spent by his Department on official hospitality in the last 12 months.

Jim Murphy: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) does not maintain central records of total annual expenditure on hospitality across the FCO and UK missions overseas. To collate this information would incur disproportionate cost.
	Government Hospitality, Protocol Directorate, spent approximately 588,000 in total in the year October 2006 to 30 September 2007. Government Hospitality funds and arranges formal ministerial hospitality for all Government Departments. Although the FCO is the largest single user of the service (and budget) it accounts for around 30 per cent. of the total annual spend.

Departments: Public Expenditure

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the  (a) near cash and  (b) non-cash administration cost limit for his Department is for financial years 2008-09 to 2010-11.

Jim Murphy: The information requested is set out at table B15 of Meeting the aspirations of the British people: 2007 pre-Budget report and Comprehensive Spending Review (Cm 7227), copies of which are in the Library of the House. Separate near- and non-cash limits for administration budgets are not specified as HM Treasury control limits.

Diplomatic Service: Secondment

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many staff in UK embassies have been seconded from outside Government; from which company or outside body each has been seconded; and to which embassy each secondment has taken place.

Jim Murphy: We have no staff working in Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) positions overseas who have been seconded from outside Government. Various categories of locally recruited non-Government personnel work at FCO premises overseas in support functions, under both contractual and non-contractual arrangements. We do not hold central records for them and could not compile data about them without incurring disproportionate cost.

Ethiopia: Human Rights

Stephen Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Stroud (Mr. Drew) of 10 September 2007,  Official Report, column 2005W, whether the Government has received the UN assessment team's appraisal of the situation in the Ogaden region of Ethiopia; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Murphy: The UN has completed its assessment of the situation in the Ogaden region of Ethiopia and passed a copy of its report to the Ethiopian government. It is now publicly available.
	We welcome the Ethiopian government's acceptance of the UN assessment team's appraisal and look forward to co-operation between the Ethiopian government and the UN to implement its findings. We expect this to lead to an improvement in the humanitarian and security situation in the region.

Ethiopia: Political Prisoners

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made in the case of the Ethiopian anti-poverty campaigners Daniel Bekele and Netsanet Demissie, who are currently in gaol.

Jim Murphy: We have raised the case of Daniel Bekele and Netsanet Demissie with the Ethiopian Government on numerous occasions. Most recently my noble Friend the Minister for Africa, Asia and the UN, Lord Malloch-Brown, raised it with the Ethiopian ambassador to London on 23 August and again with the Ethiopian Foreign Minister in the margins of the UN General Assembly in New York on 27 September.
	On 9 October, the presiding judge adjourned the trial until 22 November to consider both sides' concluding remarks. We will continue to press the Ethiopian authorities for a quick and transparent trial process.

European Constitution

Graham Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  if he will bring forward proposals for a written constitution for Europe;
	(2)  what recent representations he has received on a draft European constitution; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Murphy: The draft treaty establishing a constitution for Europe is now defunct. The mandate for a reform treaty agreed by the European Council states clearly:
	The constitutional concept, which consisted in repealing all existing Treaties and replacing them by a single text called Constitution, is abandoned.

EU External Relations: African Union

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the officials who will attend the EU-AU summit in Lisbon on behalf of the United Kingdom.

David Miliband: My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has said that neither he nor any senior Government Minister will attend the EUAfrica summit in Lisbon if President Mugabe attends. Our focus now is on working for solutions that deliver a successful summit without President Mugabe attending. No invitations to the summit have yet been issued and consequently no final decision has been made as to who will or will not attend for the UK.

EU Reform: Treaties

Mark Francois: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what changes there have been between the latest draft of the EU reform treaty and the previous draft.

Jim Murphy: holding answer 15 October 2007
	The latest draft of the reform treaty includes technical amendments as a result of discussions in the intergovernmental conference legal working group, including technical points on the UK's joint home affairs protocol. Following my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary's oral evidence session with the Foreign Affairs Committee on 10 October, he agreed to write to the Committee and place in the Library of the House a document setting out how the Government's red lines are reflected in the latest draft of the reform treaty.

Iraq: Resettlement

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps have been taken by the Government to inform Iraqi staff  (a) working for and  (b) who formerly worked for the Government that they are eligible for assistance from the UK.

David Miliband: We have held meetings with our locally-engaged staff in Iraq to inform them of the written ministerial statement I made on 9 October,  Official Report, columns 27-28WS, and to hear their views. We will inform serving Iraqi staff of the full details of the scheme once these are announced. We plan a wide range of measures to ensure that former staff who meet the eligibility criteria have the best possible chance of hearing about the scheme.

Iraq: Resettlement

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the budget is for ex gratia assistance to  (a) Iraqi staff working for the Government and  (b) Iraqi staff who formerly worked for the Government; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: The total cost of the assistance scheme will vary according to take-up and the forms of assistance chosen by individuals.

Kosovo: Peacekeeping Operations

Mark Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of progress in implementing the UN Security Council resolution on the future of Kosovo; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the progress of the Contact Group in resolving the future of Kosovo; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Murphy: UN Security Council Resolution 1244 provides a framework for a political process to decide Kosovo's future status. That process is ongoing. The UN Special Envoy for Kosovo submitted a comprehensive proposal for a status settlement on 26 March 2007. This was accepted by Pristina, but rejected by Belgrade. As a further effort to achieve a negotiated settlement, the Contact Group established a Troika whose task is to facilitate a period of further discussion between the parties. The Troika process will be concluded by the Contact Group reporting to the UN Secretary-General by 10 December.
	Contact Group Ministers met in New York on 27 September. They reiterated that an early resolution of Kosovo's status is crucial to the stability and security of the Western Balkans. They endorsed fully the UN Secretary-General's assessment that the status quo is not sustainable. They expressed full support for the Troika process.

Mercenaries

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 10 October 2007,  Official Report, on private military security companies, which private military security companies have been employed by the Government in  (a) Iraq and  (b) Afghanistan; what monitoring of those companies and their actions is carried out by the Government; under what terms the Government can terminate a contract; how many times private military security companies employed by the Government in (i) Iraq and (ii) Afghanistan were involved in weapons fire which has resulted in civilian casualties in each year since 2003; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: The following private security companies have been contracted to provide security services in Iraq and Afghanistan during this period:
	IraqArmorgroup, Control Risks and Garda World (former Kroll Security Group);
	AfghanistanArmorgroup and Edinburgh International.
	All of these contracts are subject to continuous performance monitoring and contract management by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and other Government Departments concerned, both in country on-the-ground and from the UK, in respect of all aspects of the delivery and operation of these contracts.
	In line with normal practice the Government can terminate these contracts, in whole or part, in a situation where the company is in default e.g. if it breaches any obligation under the contract, or in the event of the company becoming insolvent or of a change of control over the company, or for the Government's convenience in line with a pre-defined period of notice.
	The companies contracted by the Government have never been involved in weapons fire which has resulted in civilian casualties in either Iraq or Afghanistan, from 2003 to the present.

Middle East: Peace Negotiations

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the Government's objectives for the forthcoming international Conference on the middle east peace process to be held by the United States of America.

David Miliband: The upcoming US-hosted international meeting will be key to moving the peace process forward. As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister told the House on 8 October 2007,  Official Report, column 24:
	we would like to see an agreement that puts the Israelis and Palestinians on a path to real negotiations in 2008, leading to a final settlement of two states living side by side in peace and security.

Nigeria: Elections

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what records the Government holds on the role of UK Government agencies in post-independence elections in Nigeria; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Murphy: From the search tools available to us we understand that all Foreign and Commonwealth Office (or its preceding departments) information selected for permanent preservation relating to the post-independence elections held in Nigeria in December 1964 and March 1965, and any UK Government Agency role in them, are held in The National Archives. The National Archives Catalogue showed the following documents as relevant: D035/10462, C0657 and C0592.

Palestinians: Politics and Government

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 21 June 2007,  Official Report, columns 2212-3W, on Palestinians: politics and government, what decisions have been made on the future UK contribution to strengthening the Palestinian security forces; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: As my hon. Friend the Minister for the Middle East said previously, we are committed to security sector reform and will continue to work with President Abbas and Prime Minister Fayyad to strengthen the Palestinian security forces. We welcome the steps that the Palestinian Authority (PA) has taken to improve security and stand ready to help where we can.
	We are working closely with the PA and the US security coordinator, General Dayton. We continue to provide a police adviser, training adviser and military liaison officer to his team. We fully support the EU civil police training mission and welcome its proposed expansion. We are currently reviewing our support to the security sector and are working with the PA and international partners to identify opportunities. We will keep the House informed.

Poland: Homosexuality

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with his  (a) European Union and  (b) Council of Europe counterparts on Poland's adherence to human rights and equality obligations, with particular reference to the position of homosexuals; what the outcome was of these discussions; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: I have not discussed this issue with EU and Council of Europe counterparts.
	Despite statements made by the former Education Minister, Roman Giertych, on gay rights, the current government has not passed any laws or introduced any policies that discriminate against homosexuals. For the last two years, gay rights marches have taken place in Warsaw without incident.
	The EU has a number of institutions and mechanisms designed to protect citizens' human rights. Poland is a member of the EU and the Council of Europe, and as a signatory to the European Convention on Human Rights is obliged to adhere to its provisions.
	The UK also plays a full role in the Council of Europe in helping to ensure uniformity of the application and implementation of Human Rights throughout Europe including EU member states.

Sudan

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the situation in  (a) Darfur and  (b) Kordofan.

Jim Murphy: Sudan remains a top international priority for the UK. The UN Security Council unanimously agreed a UK sponsored resolution authorising a hybrid UN and African Union (AU) peacekeeping force. The UN and AU have also set a date for political talks for Darfur in Libya at the end of this month.
	Despite this, the situation in Darfur remains precarious. In recent days, there has been more violence against the people of Darfur and against the AU peacekeepers sent there to protect them. Humanitarian access is shrinking.
	We are pressing the UN and AU to deploy the hybrid force fully, rapidly and effectively. We have called on all parties to the conflict to cease hostilities in Darfur, not to escalate regional tensions by mounting attacks in Kordofan or any other region outside Darfur, and attend political talks starting later this month.
	We have a responsibility to show the people of Darfur the benefits of peace. We have made clear that when political and security conditions are right, we will work with others in the international community to ensure there is a viable recovery programme for Darfur that enables people to rebuild their lives.

Sudan: Peacekeeping Operations

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to assist in bringing peace to Abyei in Sudan.

Jim Murphy: The Government are working with the UN on an early recovery strategy for conflict areas between North and South Sudan such as Abyei. This would be implemented once both sides agree the demarcation of Abyei.
	However, the National Congress Party and Sudan People's Liberation Movement have failed to agree a solution for Abyei.
	We have raised Abyei in our contacts with the Government of Sudan and through our membership of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement implementation oversight bodythe Assessment and Evaluation Commission.

Sudan: Peacekeeping Operations

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with contributing nations to the African Union Force to persuade them not to withdraw troops from the African Union Mission in Sudan force in Darfur.

Jim Murphy: Although many countries, contributing troops to the African Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS), were justifiably concerned by the recent attacks against AMIS troops in Darfur, none have publicly stated they will withdraw troops from Darfur in response. We are in regular contact with African and other potential troop contributors to the African Union/United Nations hybrid peacekeeping force for Darfur, to facilitate rapid and effective deployment of the force.

Sudan: Peacekeeping Operations

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations the UK has made to the Government of Sudan on implementing the Eastern Sudan Peace Agreement with the full deployment of Eastern Front troops; and what further steps have been taken to ensure the integration and rehabilitation of the troops.

Jim Murphy: We regularly raise the implementation of the Eastern Sudan Peace Agreement with Government of Sudan officials in Khartoum.
	UN Development Programme has completed the registration of troops for 'Demobilisation, Disarmament and Re-integration' and is now drawing up an economic mapping and reintegration strategy, after which it will seek funding from donors.

Tibet

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 9 October 2007,  Official Report, column 534W, on Tibet, what estimate he has made of the proportion of applications from journalists for permission to enter Tibet which have been successful.

Kim Howells: We are not aware of any unsuccessful applications from foreign correspondents seeking permission to enter Tibet. However, a small number of journalists have reported harassment or attempts to restrict reporting by security officials once in Tibet. We continue to urge the Chinese Government to ensure the new regulations for foreign correspondents are fully implemented across the whole of China, including in Tibet.

Zimbabwe: Overseas Aid

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps the Government are taking to prepare a long-term economic recovery package for Zimbabwe; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: The current economic crisis is the direct result of poor economic policies implemented by the government of Zimbabwe. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has said that Britain is ready to contribute its share to supporting recovery in Zimbabwe. We are working with the international donor community and with multinational institutions to promote a co-ordinated approach. This will include measures to stabilise the economy and move towards sustainable recovery, reduce Zimbabwe's debt, help skilled people return, renovate schools and hospitals and support fair land reform. But Zimbabwe would need to implement fundamental policy and administrative reforms before the UK and the international community could credibly provide such assistance.

Zimbabwe: Politics and Government

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his most recent assessment is of the political situation in Zimbabwe and the risks to civilians who oppose the Zimbabwe Government; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Murphy: The political situation in Zimbabwe is appalling and the economic situation dire. President Mugabe rules by force and fear. We, along with EU partners, regularly raise our concerns with the government about their catastrophic economic policies and systematic human rights' violations, including torture and arbitrary arrest; and the brutal consequences for those who oppose President Mugabe's regime. We will continue to offer support to human rights defenders, through programme funding and by attending trials and visiting victims of abuse in hospital. We will also continue to work with our international partners to encourage policy change in Zimbabwe and to provide humanitarian aid to keep vulnerable Zimbabweans alive.

Zimbabwe: Travel Restrictions

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether it is the Government's policy that Zimbabwean Reserve Bank Governor Gideon Gono be put on the EU list of those subject to an EU travel ban and assets freeze.

David Miliband: We have already argued for Gideon Gono to be added to the EU list and will do so again. My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary has excluded Gono from the UK.